SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has strongly criticised the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, calling it a direct violation of the Indian Constitution.
He asserted that the bill contradicts Section 25, which guarantees the Right to Religion, and warned against interference in religious or personal affairs.
The Speaker’s remarks follow the Indian Parliament’s passage of the contentious legislation after a marathon 12-hour debate. The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) defended the bill, claiming it would benefit minorities, while opposition parties slammed it as “anti-Muslim.”
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, while speaking to reporters, warned that any attempt to override such rights could set a dangerous precedent. “It is not good to interfere in anybody’s religion or personal affairs,” he said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has triggered strong reactions across political and religious circles, with critics alleging that it aims to dilute the autonomy of Muslim religious institutions. The opposition has vowed to challenge the legislation, calling it an attack on the fundamental rights of the Muslim community. (KNT)
