Chaos in J&K Assembly: AAP’s Mehraaj Malik Clashes With BJP MLAs Over Waqf Act Row

Kashmir: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly turned into a political battleground on Wednesday after a fierce altercation broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraaj Malik and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), escalating ongoing tensions over the contentious Waqf Amendment Act.

The ruckus unfolded during the morning session, marking the third consecutive day of uproar in the House over the Waqf issue, which has been at the center of heated political discourse ever since both Houses of Parliament cleared the amended Act last week. The day’s proceedings were abruptly suspended for three hours as dramatic visuals of legislators clashing began circulating widely on social media, showcasing the deepening fault lines within the Assembly.

Trouble began soon after the session was adjourned when Malik reportedly engaged in a verbal spat with members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over his controversial comments about late PDP founder Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. PDP workers reacted sharply, accusing Malik of using “derogatory language” against Sayeed, a move that nearly led to a physical confrontation, which was averted only due to swift intervention by the Assembly’s security personnel.

Tensions escalated further when Malik turned his ire toward the BJP, triggering outrage among saffron party MLAs. BJP legislators Vikram Randhawa and Yudhvir Sethi confronted the AAP leader, leading to a scuffle on the Assembly floor. Malik had to be escorted into the House under tight security, shielded by Watch and Ward staff and members of the National Conference (NC). Even as he was being taken inside, BJP members made another attempt to charge at him, but were restrained after NC leaders intervened.

BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa later accused Malik of making anti-Hindu remarks. “He has abused Hindus… We will not tolerate this… He has said ‘Hindu tilak laga ke paap karta hai’… We will give him an answer,” Randhawa was quoted as saying by The Times of India. The allegation has only added fuel to the fire in an already polarized political atmosphere.

The Assembly had already witnessed back-to-back adjournments on Monday and Tuesday over the same issue. Speaker Abdul Rahim Lather had disallowed an adjournment motion filed by NC and its alliance partners, citing the matter as sub-judice. On Wednesday morning, NC members once again stormed the Well of the House demanding a full-fledged debate on the Waqf Amendment Act, even as BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia moved a separate adjournment motion to address the growing crisis of unemployment in the Union Territory.