Says Non-Muslim involvement in Waqf Boards remains a core concern
Srinagar, 16 Sep (KNS) : The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Addl General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, calling it a resounding slap on the face of authoritarianism and religious discrimination.
In a press statement issued from the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, Dr. Kamal hailed the judgment as a substantial victory for constitutional rights, religious freedom, and democratic dissent.
He stated that the verdict vindicates not only those who raised their voices against what he described as blatantly communal and arbitrary legislation but also the Joint Parliamentary Committee members whose dissent notes were deliberately ignored by the government in its attempt to bulldoze a divisive agenda.
Dr. Kamal emphasized that this is not merely a legal win but a moral and political triumph. He accused the BJP of attempting to empower collectors with arbitrary authority to question centuries-old Waqf properties and impose unjust requirements forcing Muslims to prove their identity.
He said this move was nothing short of a calculated attempt to create unrest, polarize voters and weaken the foundational integrity of religious institutions.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
He pointed out that the Supreme Court’s stay on the arbitrary powers of Collectors, its protection of existing Waqf properties from politically motivated challenges and its suspension of the five-year Muslim identity clause clearly highlighted the dangerous flaws embedded in the Act.
Dr. Kamal asserted that the legislation was never about regulation but about control and coercion and praised the Court’s decision as a necessary brake on that trajectory.
However he also made it clear that the legal battle is far from over. He strongly criticized the continued appointment of non-Muslims to Waqf Boards calling it a direct assault on religious autonomy. Declaring that Waqf is not government property but Allah’s property he reiterated the party’s commitment to resisting all unconstitutional interference.
He reaffirmed the Party's unwavering commitment to defending religious freedoms standing against authoritarianism and upholding the constitutional values of secularism and justice. (KNS)