PM [1]
Rank : Helper
Status : Super Owner
#1
Opposition MPs on the House panel examining the Waqf Amendment Bill have alleged that BJP members on the committee ignored their objections and that the recommendations made in the report are not in the spirit of the Constitution. The MPs alleged that they received the 655-page report last evening and hardly had time to study it and make recommendations.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee today adopted the draft report after a 16-11 majority vote. The report will be presented to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tomorrow. Opposition MPs have submitted their dissent notes to the report.
The panel's chairperson and veteran BJP leader Jagdambika Pal said several amendments approved by the committee addressed the concerns of Opposition members. He said the proposed law will help Waqf boards function more efficiently.
Asked if the Bill would be re-introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Budget Session, Mr Pal said that's for the Speaker to decide.
The Opposition MPs on the panel, however, have alleged that the proposed law would destroy Waqf boards and lead to government interference in its functioning. Reports said 66 amendments were proposed -- 23 by BJP MPs and 44 from the Opposition. MPs from the Opposition said that while most recommendations from the BJP MPs were accepted, theirs were turned down.
"This is not in favour of Waqf. I have been saying from the beginning that the BJP has brought this Bill against Muslims. It aims to harm Waqf boards and seize mosques. When this Bill is brought to Parliament, we will oppose it there too. If Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians can have members of their religion on their boards, then how can you have non-Muslim members on a Muslim Waqf Board?" AIMIM leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said.
Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain said the amendments endorsed by the panel were "unconstitutional" and alleged that the proposed law is aimed at targeting minorities. "Many objections and suggestions were not been included in this report. The government made the report as per their wish," he said.
DMK MP A Raja said they received the draft report running into 650 pages at 10 pm yesterday. "How can Members of Parliament be expected to give a dissent note overnight? The Chairman has extended the time till 4 pm today. Some of us have submitted dissent notes, others will do so before 4 pm. It is completely undemocratic. The entire process has become a mockery," he said, adding that the DMK will challenge the legislation in court.
Trinamool Congress's Kalyan Banerjee said the committee's recommendations are "wholly perverse". "Statements of the victims have not been taken into consideration. What we said during the deliberations has not been taken into consideration. The question that arises is, the stakeholders' view which we have expressed, why it did not appeal to the chairman? JPC proceedings have turned into mockery. All other views have been ignored," he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said the proposed amendments are against the Constitution. "Until yesterday, people used to come through elections in Waqf, but now you are removing elections. People will be nominated there, and the central government will do it. Today, there is a provision to bring non-Muslims into Waqf, so tomorrow they might do the same in our temples because the issue of equality will come up in the Constitution," Mr Sawant said.
"Many objections and suggestions were made which have not been included in this report. The government has made the report as per them. Unconstitutional amendments have been brought and the rights of minorities have been harmed. The amendments have been brought to single out the minorities, especially the Muslim community."
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was referred to the House panel on August 8 after Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced it in Lok Sabha.