A Paradise Caught in Controversy
Kashmir, with its breathtaking valleys and shimmering lakes, is a land of beauty and pain. For years, this Muslim-majority region has been a crucible of conflict, and now, the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, has added fuel to the fire. Passed in April 2025, the bill aims to reform the management of Muslim charitable properties but has instead sparked protests, violence, and accusations of oppression. Many Kashmiris see it as a calculated move to marginalize Muslims while diverting attention from the region’s deeper wounds—economic stagnation, political disenfranchisement, and the lingering scars of lost autonomy. This article tells the story of the Waqf Bill, its impact on Kashmir, the cries of a community feeling targeted, and the subtle ways it overshadows the region’s real struggles, capturing events up to April 22, 2025.
The Waqf Amendment Bill: A Law That Divides
An amendment to the Waqf Act posted in 2025 modified guidelines that manage Muslim endowments that had earlier existed under the Waqf Act of 1995. The modifications regarding community religious spaces’ guardianship have triggered strong emotions compared to sacred trust transfer decisions. Key changes include:
- Non-Muslims on Waqf Boards: The law mandates two non-Muslim members on state Waqf boards and the Central Waqf Council, a move that feels like outsiders controlling your mosque’s future.
- End of Waqf-by-User: Properties used for religious purposes for generations, without formal deeds, could lose their waqf status, threatening historic mosques and shrines.
- Government Oversight: District officials now approve waqf property claims, raising fears of bureaucratic interference.
- Centralized Control: The central government gains more power over waqf properties, which many see as a way to tighten its grip on Muslim institutions.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government insists these reforms tackle corruption and ensure waqf funds help the poorest Muslims. Union Minister Kiran Rijiju calls it “pro-Muslim,” promising benefits for women and children. But in Kashmir, it feels like a betrayal, a law that not only targets faith but also distracts from the region’s urgent needs.
Kashmir’s Heart: A Region Already Hurting
Kashmir exists as a state of mind alongside being a place that constitutes the battle and heartfelt base for religious beliefs and personal identity. The Muslim-majority status of the state makes it an ongoing topic of international scrutiny after India revoked Article 370 which had granted Unique Status in 2019. The Waqf Bill feels like another blow, not just to property laws but to the soul of a people fighting to preserve their culture.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a coalition of religious leaders, has called the bill “un-Islamic” and “authoritarian.” In mosques across Kashmir, they’ve read resolutions condemning the law, especially the removal of a rule letting waqf boards decide property status. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) demands its withdrawal, framing it as an attack on Muslim rights.
Local leaders are vocal too. PDP leader Iltija Mufti fiercely criticized the National Conference government of Jammu and Kashmir because they failed to vigorously challenge the bill. She said on April 15, 2025, that Farooq Abdullah needed to answer questions from Kashmiris regarding their sentiments about this matter. NC’s Tanvir Sadiq warned the bill could fuel religious tensions, a fear that looms large in a region already scarred by conflict.
A Distraction from Kashmir’s Real Struggles
Beyond the headlines about waqf properties, there’s a deeper story: the bill is pulling focus from Kashmir’s pressing challenges. Youth unemployment reaches 20% in the region due to its poor infrastructure while the tourism sector continues its recovery from the period of turmoil. The termination of Article 370 continues to cause pain since the Kashmiri people believe their political position has weakened within their native territory. Yet, the Waqf Bill has dominated discourse, turning attention to religious divides instead of these urgent issues.
Critics argue this is no accident. By framing the bill as reform while knowing it would spark outrage, the government has shifted the narrative to communal tensions, overshadowing calls for economic development or political dialogue. A post on X by @Bano_Ghazi47 on April 16, 2025, captured this sentiment: “While we fight over waqf, who’s talking about our jobs, our roads, our future?” The planned legislation arrives at a critical time in Kashmir’s prolonged lockdown process and gives off an intentional signal to maintain prolonged disputes instead of moving forward.
Local activists maintain that although the bill targets Muslim properties it omits the wider disputes affecting both Muslim and non-Muslim inhabitants in Kashmir concerning encroachment. By zeroing in on waqf, the government has sidestepped a holistic land reform debate, keeping the spotlight on religious identity. This diversion lets deeper issues—like the lack of investment in Kashmiri youth or delays in restoring statehood—fade into the background.
Protests and Heartbreak: A Nation in Turmoil
The Waqf Bill has ignited protests across India, turning pain into action. In West Bengal’s Murshidabad, a Muslim-majority district, demonstrations on April 11, 2025, turned tragic. Three individuals lost their lives when demonstrators began fighting which eventually caused the father and son to perish from vandalism and arson against the residential zone. Over 150 were arrested, and the Calcutta High Court deployed Central Armed Forces. Violence flared again in South 24 Parganas on April 14, showing how the bill’s wounds run deep.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a vocal critic, refused to implement the law, urging unity and rallying opposition parties. “This bill divides us,” she said, her words a plea to refocus on harmony over conflict. But the protests, while powerful, have also played into the distraction, drawing attention to violence rather than Kashmir’s economic or political needs.
In Hyderabad, thousands marched on April 13, 2025, led by the AIMPLB and Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Signs reading “Waqf Act was lo” (Take back the Waqf Act) and “Tampering with Waqf is tampering with the Constitution” showed their resolve. Owaisi identified the bill as a continuous effort launched against Muslim communities since 2014 while Kashmir residents prioritize employment and justice issues above the bill.
SDPI in Coimbatore and AIMIM in Phagwara and Jaipur organized peaceful protests as part of the widespread opposition against the bill on April 19, 2025. Each rally, while a cry for justice, also keeps the focus on the bill, letting other Kashmiri struggles slip from view.
A Community’s Fear: Is This Oppression?
For Muslims, the Waqf Bill feels like a personal attack. They point to specific provisions as proof of oppression:
- Non-Muslims in Charge: Requiring non-Muslims on waqf boards is like letting strangers run your mosque. Lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court it violates the Constitution’s promise of religious freedom.
- Losing Sacred Spaces: Scrapping the waqf-by-user rule threatens historic sites without deeds. On April 16, 2025, the Supreme Court called this a “huge problem,” questioning how old mosques could survive.
- State Overreach: Forcing waqf boards to seek district officials’ approval feels like the government meddling in faith. Many see this as a betrayal of India’s secular values.
The worries of Muslim communities grew stronger because of previous government choices such as CAA legislation and Article 370 abolition that made them sense discarded by society. Under this bill, Kashmiri Muslims view the measures as a deliberate strategy to eliminate their cultural identity because Muslims make up 68% of the population there. Another X post on April 17, 2025, read, “They want us fighting over waqf so we forget our stolen autonomy.”
The Government’s Defense: Reform or Distraction?
The BJP insists the Waqf Bill is about fixing a flawed system. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal called it “100% pro-Muslim,” saying it protects waqf properties from encroachments and helps the needy. He argues non-Muslims on waqf boards address non-Muslim land disputes, framing it as fairness.
Some Muslim groups, like the Dawoodi Bohras, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 17, 2025, for the bill, calling it a “long-pending demand.” Seven BJP-ruled states are defending it in court, claiming it’s constitutional. The government’s promise to pause appointments and property changes until the Supreme Court rules (noted on April 16, 2025) aims to calm fears, but many see this as a tactic to keep the controversy alive, diverting focus from Kashmir’s economic woes.
The Supreme Court: A Glimmer of Hope
Congress, Trinamool Congress, and National Conference leaders along with others in the Supreme Court filed 73 petitions against the Waqf Bill on April 15, 2025. Legislators Owaisi and Mahua Moitra together with leaders of Congress, Trinamool Congress, and National Conference consider this law unconstitutional and discriminatory. They challenge provisions like ending waqf board elections and denotifying properties.
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, upset by Murshidabad’s violence, said, “This shouldn’t happen when the court is involved.” The court considered pausing parts of the bill, like non-Muslim appointments but adjourned to April 17, 2025. Questions like “Why allow non-Muslims on waqf boards but not Muslims on Hindu trusts?” show the court’s scrutiny, offering hope to Kashmiris who want the focus back on their broader struggles.
The World Watches: A Global Distraction
The Waqf Bill has drawn international eyes, with Pakistan calling it an attack on Indian Muslims. India dismissed this as “baseless,” but the exchange fuels nationalist rhetoric, further diverting attention from Kashmir’s local issues. In the region, the National Conference’s weak opposition has drawn criticism from Mehbooba Mufti, who accused them of “surrendering” to the BJP, highlighting how the bill distracts from political accountability.
A Cry for More Than Waqf
The Waqf Amendment Bill, of 2025, has torn open Kashmir’s wounds, sparking protests, violence, and legal battles. For Muslims, it’s a fight for faith and dignity, but it’s also a distraction from the region’s real struggles—jobs, roads, rights, and a future stolen by years of conflict. The government calls it reform, but many see it as a way to keep Kashmir focused on religious divides instead of progress.
As the Supreme Court weighs the bill’s fate, Kashmir waits, its cry echoing beyond waqf properties. This isn’t just about law; it’s about a people yearning for justice, not just in their mosques but in their lives. The Waqf Bill may dominate headlines, but Kashmir’s true fight—for dignity, opportunity, and a voice—deserves the spotlight.
Sources:
- Supreme Court hearings, April 15-16, 2025
- Protests in Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas, April 11-14, 2025
- Statements by MMU, AIMPLB, and political leaders
- X posts, including @Bano_Ghazi47, April 16, 2025
- Government statements and BJP defenses
