Opposition MPs claim suggestions overlooked in Waqf House panel: ‘Mockery’

Meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 in Delhi (Image: @dmk_raja)

Opposition MPs on the parliamentary panel examining the Waqf Amendment Bill have accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members on the committee of overlooking their concerns. They stated that the recommendations in the report do not align with the Constitution.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill adopted the draft report and the revised version of the proposed law on Wednesday. The committee is set to submit the report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30. However, opposition leaders have also submitted dissent notes to express their concerns.

Jagdambika Pal, chairperson of the panel and seasoned BJP leader, remarked that several of the committee’s approved amendments have resolved many concerns from opposition members. He further stated that the Bill, once enacted, will support the Waqf board in fulfilling its duties with increased transparency and effectiveness.

On being asked if the Bill would be re-introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Budget session, Pal stated that it’s for Lok Sabha speaker to decide.

MPs from the opposition, including Congress, DMK, AIMIM, among others, reiterated their strong criticism of the committee’s functioning under Pal and the version of the Bill that had been approved. According to them, the 655-page report was handed out on Tuesday night, giving them insufficient time to study the contents and prepare their dissent.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that he will oppose the bill when it it is debated in Parliament during the Budget Session. "This is not in favour of Waqf. I have been saying from the beginning that the BJP has brought this bill against Muslims, according to its ideology, and it is intended to harm the Waqf Board and seize their mosques. When this bill is brought to Parliament, we will oppose it there as well. If Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians can have members of their own religion on their respective boards, then how can you have non-Muslim members on a Muslim Waqf Board?" Owaisi said further.

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain slammed the amendments as "unconstitutional", alleging that the Bill is aimed at targeting minorities. “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,” he said.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed the observation and recommendations of the committee are "wholly perverse". “Statements of the victims have not been taken into consideration. What we said during the course of deliberations has not been taken into consideration. The question that arises is, whether the stakeholders' view which we have expressed, why did it not appeal to the chairman? JPC proceedings have turned into mockery. All other views have been totally ignored,” he said.

DMK MP A Raja said, “At 10 pm last night, we received the draft report running into 650 pages. How the members of Parliament can be expected to give dissent note overnight? However, the chairman extended the time till 4 pm today. It is also very strange. It is completely undemocratic. The entire process has become mockery.”

VIDEO | On Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, DMK MP A Raja (@dmk_raja) says, "At 10 PM last night, we received the draft report running into 650 pages. How the Members of Parliament can be expected to give dissent note overnight. However, the pic.twitter.com/AZLDZZWuGc

Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 29, 2025

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant argued that the proposed amendments go against the Constitution.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on August 8, 2024, following its introduction in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

The Bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.