Sinha Vs JKNC: Sparks Fly Over Waqf Bill and Power Play

April 04: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened an urgent meeting of the National Conference (NC) legislative members and alliance partners on Friday at the Gupkar residence of Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, amid escalating friction with the Raj Bhawan over recent bureaucratic transfers and the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill.

The two-hour meeting, attended by coalition lawmakers, resulted in the adoption of two resolutions condemning what the NC described as “encroachment” on the authority of Jammu and Kashmir’s elected government.

The meeting follows a controversial order by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration earlier this week, transferring 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers, a move that has reignited debate over the division of powers in the union territory.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq outlined the resolutions. “We condemned the Waqf Amendment Bill, which we believe targets minorities. The entire house opposed it unanimously,” he said. “The second resolution addressed attempts to undermine the mandate of the elected government, which we see as a disrespect to the people’s will,” he added.

Sadiq emphasized that the alliance’s coordination with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) or the Centre should not be mistaken for weakness.

“We are maintaining dignity in governance, but that must not be interpreted as submission,” he warned.

In a measured response later in the day, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha defended his administration’s conduct, insisting that all actions are in line with the constitutional framework.

“I know my boundaries and will never cross them,” Sinha said, without directly referring to the controversy surrounding the officer transfers.

His remarks were widely seen as a rebuttal to the NC’s allegations of overreach by the Raj Bhavan.

The LG’s decision to transfer 48 JKAS officers earlier this week has once again brought focus on the pending business rules, procedural guidelines that are yet to clearly define the power-sharing arrangement between the elected executive and the Lieutenant Governor in the Union Territory setup.

Congress leader Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, representing his party at the meeting, underscored the unity of the coalition. “

“Although few leaders couldn’t mark their presence in the meeting. I was entrusted with the authority to speak for the Congress. Every legislator in the alliance remains steadfastly aligned with the head of the assembly,” he said, adding that sensitive issues like the Waqf Bill and the erosion of elected powers demand “serious dialogue” with New Delhi.

NC MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri raised concerns over the legal validity of the LG administration’s recent actions. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir hold equal significance to citizens across India. No one is entitled to encroach upon their democratic choice. We deliberated on the LG administration’s latest moves, such as the widespread officer reassignments, which sidestep the essence of the Reorganization Act,”.

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Pulwama Wahid Parra seized the moment to mock the NC and Congress, accusing them of selective outrage.

In a post on X, Parra wrote, “The same parties that once appointed their own Sadr-e-Riyasat and Prime Minister are today fighting over Tehsildars,”.

Parra criticized the mainstream parties for focusing on “bureaucratic symbolism” while failing to resist the broader changes post-Article 370.

“Fifty MLAs are uniting over officer transfers. Where was this unity when Article 370 was revoked? Why wasn’t an Advocate General appointed or July 13 remembered?” he questioned, calling the opposition to the Waqf Bill “mere rhetoric,” “You cannot now complain about the very bureaucrats you once defended in the Assembly,” Parra added, sharpening his attack.