Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 9 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Sharma on Wednesday slammed the ruling National Conference's stance on the Waqf Amendment Act, saying that the party opposed the act because of its vested interest in keeping the status quo.

'National Conference's pain on the Waqf exists from the time of Sheikh Abdullah. Ever since independence, the National Conference has administered the Waqf in J&K. Their own office is on Waqf land,' Sharma told ANI.

'There are many offices and landholdings with their relatives and workers, which belong to the Waqf, and they are scared of being questioned on that. A common, poor, and oppressed Muslim has no problem with it. He is happy with the bill,' he added.

J&K People's Conference chief Sajad Lone said that his party has moved a no-confidence motion against the speaker, 'We demanded that the Speaker either goes back to his chambers temporarily and Mubarak Gul take over for the time being and our work will be done. We also brought in a no-confidence motion. If he persists, then I think the no-confidence motion should be successful... Discussions on the Waqf bill will be held if they (NC) want.'

Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez Lone said that secularism was being violated and federalism was under threat,

'The Constitution and rule of law is being violated. Secularism is being brazenly violated. Federalism is under threat... It is the need of the hour to restore our identity of unity in diversity. The Waqf amendment bill is inconcluding our religious matters, and the members have expressed their concern about it... We will not tolerate their interference in our religious matters. They have divided our beautiful state,' he said.

In the last two days, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed uproar over demands to discuss the Waqf Amendment Act. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather refused to discuss the Waqf Act despite the National Conference's demands.

On Tuesday, National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq said that the party wanted the Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to understand the 'sense of the house' and allow a discussion on the act.

Speaking with ANI, Tanvir Sadiq said, 'We didn't want a ruckus (in the House). A lot of things have been discussed in the assemblies of various states in this country...We wanted the Speaker to understand the sense of the House, of the Muslim majority, and allow a discussion on this.'

'There would have been a discussion, and we would have said what is in our heart. We are not challenging anyone, but in the wake of several examples, we should have been given an opportunity to say what lies in our hearts. We can't change the Bill, but we can say what is in our heart and list the drawbacks of Waqf Amendment Bill,' he added. (ANI)