"Rights of minorities going to be taken away by subverting proceedings, undermining sovereign power of Parliament": DMK MP A Raja on JPC tour

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 9 (ANI): DMK Lok Sabha member A Raja on Saturday raised concerns over the ongoing deliberations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) formed to examine the existing Waqf Board Act, accusing the committee's chairman of bias and improper conduct.
Speaking to ANI, Raja stated that the rights of minorities were being "threatened" by the way the JPC proceedings were being handled, adding that the opposition members had raised multiple objections to the chairman's handling of the committee meetings.
The DMK MP warned that the way the JPC was functioning posed a significant threat to the rights of minorities, particularly in relation to the Waqf Board Act.
"Minorities' rights, which were ensured in the Constitution, are going to be completely washed out. This is a danger to the country. The rights of minorities are going to be taken away by subverting the proceedings and undermining the sovereign power of parliament. This is condemnable. Opposition will take up the issue again with the speaker," Raja stated.
He claimed that the JPC Chairman had ignored repeated objections from the committee members regarding several procedural matters and highlighted issues with the selection of witnesses, the scheduling of meetings, and the duration of discussions.
Raja noted that these decisions were made without the consent or consultation of the committee members.
"The Joint Parliamentary Committee that has been constituted by the Speaker to deliberate the issues in the existing Waqf Board Act. The manner in which the JPC Chairman is conducting the meeting was questionable by the members (of JPC). Many times we resisted the Chairman, and in spite of our resistance, the Chairman did not change his attitude. In the sense that the selection of witnesses before the community and duration or time of the JPC meeting without the consent of the members. The way in which they are permitting the members with bias," The DMK MP remarked.
He further explained that a memorandum had been submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, drawing attention to these concerns and requesting that the fixation of dates and duration of meetings, as well as the scheduling of any study tours, be discussed with all members in advance. Raja said that the Speaker had assured that appropriate action would be taken, but despite this, the committee proceeded with the study tour to Assam, where only five out of 31 members attended.
"All these things were brought to the knowledge of the Speaker by a memorandum... We prayed to the speaker that the fixation of dates and duration of the meeting and the study tour--everything must be consulted before making a final decision with the members. The Speaker assured us that he would take appropriate action but in spite of that, the study tours that have been started today in Assam. Out of 31 members, only five members attended and still, the meeting is being carried out by the JPC Chairman," he said.
Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Aparajita Sarangi, a member of the JPC slammed opposition MPs for boycotting the JPC's study tour and terming it "extremely unfortunate."
Sarangi said, "It's extremely unfortunate that the members of the committee belonging to the opposition parties have decided not to come on study tour, not to come to Guwahati, not to join the hearing of the joint parliamentary committee in other states where we are going to. we have started our hearing from Guwahati."
Earlier today, Jagdambika Pal, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, chaired a meeting regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Guwahati, Assam. Representatives from the Assam government, the state waqf board, the state minority commission, High Court lawyers, and other stakeholders participated in the discussion.
The meeting was a part of the JPC's study tour in five cities, namely Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow, from November 9 to November 14 to examine the bill.
The JPC committee is expected to present its report on the bill to the House by the end of the first week of the winter session of the Parliament, which runs from November 25 to December 20.
Earlier in November, chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee Jagdambika Pal said that JPC on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 has held 25 meetings so far since August 22, this year.
The JPC reviewed the work of six ministries and heard from 123 stakeholders, including representatives from six states, eight Waqf boards and four minority commissions.
The Waqf Act 1995 was originally established to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced criticism over issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha this August, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)