Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The First meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill commenced on Thursday on a story note with intense debate as Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed strong concerns about the proposed amendments and demanded stakeholder consultations.
During the meeting, officials from the Union ministries of minority affairs and law briefed the panel of 31 MPs on the 44 amendments in the draft law. However, some MPs criticised the officials for being inadequately prepared on the details of the amendments.
Opposition MPs raised objections over several provisions in the Bill, resulting in heated exchanges at times. Key figures such as Trinamul Congress’ Kalyan Banerjee, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, and DMK’s A. Raja led the charge against aspects like expanded powers for district collectors and the inclusion of non-Muslim members on Waqf boards.
Committee chairperson Jagdambika Pal, from the BJP, assured the MPs that the committee would engage with all relevant stakeholders, including various Muslim organisations. The next committee meeting is scheduled for August 30.
The JPC, led by Pal, has been tasked by the Lok Sabha to examine the controversial Bill, which has faced significant opposition from both Muslim organisations and political parties. The Bill aims to reform the Waqf property registration process through a centralised portal and establish a Central Waqf Council alongside state Waqf Boards, with representation from Muslim women and non-Muslims. A particularly contentious provision designates the district collector as the authority to decide if a property is Waqf or government land. Introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, the Bill was referred to the JPC after a contentious debate. The government has stated that the Bill does not seek to interfere with mosque functions, while the Opposition argues it targets Muslims and undermines constitutional principles.