PDP president Mehbooba Mufti announced on Friday that she has written to JD(U) and TDP leaders, urging them to help block the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is expected to be introduced during the Budget Session of Parliament, Indian Express reported.
This follows a statement from National Conference’s Srinagar MP, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who expressed plans to make a “final appeal” to JD(U) and TDP MPs concerning concerns from the Muslim community regarding the bill.
In her letter to JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister argued that the bill threatens to undermine the secular foundation of India, which Mahatma Gandhi envisioned. She urged the leaders to intervene and prevent its passage.
Mufti said that both leaders have long been committed to upholding the Constitution and fostering the spirit of Ganga-Jamuni brotherhood. She added that, as key members of the NDA, they are in a unique position to influence the matter and prevent this harmful legislation, as reported by Indian Express.
She criticised the timing of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which she said comes at a time when Muslims have faced increasing disenfranchisement, disempowerment, and marginalisation over the past decade. Mufti also condemned the “disregard” for the concerns raised by opposition parties, describing the consultation process as a farce without meaningful efforts to involve the affected community.
While the Bill is presented as a reform, Mufti argued that its true aim is to weaken the foundation of the Waqf Act, which protects properties dedicated to the social and economic upliftment of Muslims for religious and charitable purposes. Each amendment, she said, not only undermines the interests of the Muslim community but also attacks the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
She described the bill as deeply divisive, reflecting the majoritarianism that has marginalised Muslims since 2014 and undermining the core values of diversity, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence in India.
