JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal arrives at Parliament to submit final report on Waqf (Amendment) Bill

New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): The chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on Thursday arrived at the Parliament to meet the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submit his committee's final report on the bill.
On Wednesday, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill adopted the draft report and the amended revised bill. However, the opposition leaders also submitted their dissent notes on the report.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Tuesday cleared the Waqf Bill 1995 with 25 amendments across 14 clauses/sections.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the chairman of the JPC, Jagdambika Pal said, "... We have adopted the report and the amended revised bill. For the first time, we have included a section stating that the benefits of Waqf should go to the marginalized, poor, women, and orphans. Tomorrow, we will present this report to the Speaker."
"We had 44 clauses before us, out of which amendments were proposed by members in 14 clauses. We conducted a majority vote, and these amendments were then adopted," he added.
BJP MP Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal slammed the opposition and said that it is in their DNA to oppose the government.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya emphasized that the intention of the government was to bring modernity, transparency and accountability in the management of Waqf properties and to also prevent the abuse of the law by vested interests who were trying to encroach upon lands at the cost of social and communal harmony in the country.
However, the JPC's action ignited criticism from the opposition leaders. AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that he will oppose the bill when it will be discussed in the Parliament during the Budget Session.
"Last night, we were given a 655-page draft report, and it is humanly impossible for anyone to read such a lengthy report in such a short time and give their opinion. Nevertheless, we made an effort and submitted our dissent report," he said.
"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.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee also mentioned that he has submitted his dissent note over the report.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said that they have issued a dissent note because the amendments made are against the Constitution.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is likely to be presented during the Budget Session of the Parliament. 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 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. (ANI)