Crores of Muslims helplessly watching: J&K head cleric Mirwaiz on Waqf Bill

The statement comes over a month after Mirwaiz held meetings with heads of various Muslim bodies to help build consensus over the Bill. This was the first time that Mirwaiz Umer Farooq sought engagement on a legislative issue since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

As one watches the ruling party defend the indefensible Waqf Amendment bill in parliament,it is very unfortunate and disturbing that not even one of the serious concerns and reservations raised by the Muslim organisations including the MMU which I lead before the JPC in New…

— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) April 2, 2025

Over a week in New Delhi, Mirwaiz met with the Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP) that was debating the Waqf Amendment Bill and also called on Tablighi Jamaat chief Moulana Saad Syed Kandhlavi and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind head Maulana Mahmood Madani.

Highlighting his concerns regarding the proposed amendments, Mirwaiz had told The Indian Express that the central government was “disempowering Muslims further” by trying to bring the Waqf under government control. He said he met with the JPC to apprise them of the “apprehensions and reservations” of the Muslim community in J&K as well as Ladakh.

“I had already done a consultative process with ulemas of the Valley and Jammu and Ladakh. We met with the JCP and told them this is against the interests of the Muslim community. You are disempowering us because on one hand you are talking about the economic conditions of the Muslims and on the other, institutions that cater to the interests of Muslims are being brought under government control,” he had said. “The next option then will be to go to court.”