"Agenda of govt, forcefully introducing to destroy Waqf": Congress MP Imran Masood on Waqf (Amendment) Bill

New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Congress MP Imran Masood on Friday targeted the Central government over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill saying that the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the bill was an "agenda" of the government.
Masood, who was also a member of the JPC on the Waqf Bill, alleged that the government is forcefully introducing the bill to destroy the Waqf Board.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "Whatever is there in the JPC is all an agenda of the government which they forcefully introducing to destroy the Waqf... It will be presented in this session and we'll how it goes. It is a test of those who do politics in the name of Muslims. If they stand with BJP in such a huge matter which directly affects us, the Muslims will also have to think about it..."
As the Budget Session is all set to commence today, the Congress MP hit out at the government, saying, "Their budget always targets the poor..."
Earlier, Congress MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) member Syed Naseer Hussain on Thursday raised concerns over the JPC's handling of the Waqf Bill and accused it of being 'biased' and not adhering to procedural norms.
Hussain criticised the lack of a clause-by-clause discussion among JPC members before amendments were proposed, which he argued would have ensured a more comprehensive review.
Several Opposition members of the JPC panel have submitted dissent notes to be incorporated in the report, which will be tabled in Parliament during the upcoming Budget session.
These Opposition MPs included the Congress party's Gaurav Gogoi, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi besides the members who submitted joint dissent notes such as Kalyan Banerjee and Nadimul Haque of the TMC, A Raja and M M Abdulla of the DMK, and Syed Naseer Hussain, Dr Mohammad Jawed and Imran Masood of the Congress.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday adopted the draft report and the amended revised bill.
The meeting between members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla concluded and the final report on the bill was submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker on January 30.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
Meanwhile, the budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 and continue till April 4, with the Union Budget to be presented on February 1.
The budget session will commence with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of the two Houses. The Economic Survey will also be tabled on Friday ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget on Saturday. (ANI)