Waqf Bill Cleared By JPC, Amendments Proposed By NDA Accepted; Opposition's Defeated In Committee Voting

The Waqf amendment bill is all set to make its way to Parliament once again in the Budget session as the Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the bill adopted all amendments proposed by the ruling BJP-led NDA members on Monday. The JPC, however, negated every change moved by opposition members. While Opposition MPs cried foul, the committee chairman Jagdambika Pal said that amendments adopted by the committee would make the law better and more effective.

The draft of the Waqf Amendment Bill, tabled in the House last August, has undergone 14 proposed changes. Opposition MPs on the committee, chaired by Jagadambika Pal of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had suggested 44 amendments, all of which were rejected. The 14 proposed changes are set to be voted on January 29, with the final report scheduled for submission by January 31, reported NDTV.

The Waqf Amendment Bill introduces several reforms to the administration of Waqf boards, including the inclusion of non-Muslim members and at least two women.

Additionally, if the amendments are approved, the central Waqf Council will require the participation of a union minister, three MPs, two former judges, four individuals of national repute, and senior government officials, none of whom are mandated to belong to the Islamic faith.

The amendments also specify that the Waqf Council will no longer have the authority to claim land. Another proposed change, which has sparked controversy, seeks to limit donations to the Waqf from Muslims who have been actively practicing their faith for at least five years, raising questions about the definition of a 'practicing Muslim.'

The opposition MPs decried the meeting's proceedings and accused Pal of 'subverting' the democratic process. "Today, they did whatever they had fixed. They didn't allow us to speak. No rules or procedures have been followed. Initially, we had asked for documents, representations and comments. All those things have not been supplied to us. Jagdambika Pal did not allow discussion at all. He then brought in the Amendment Motion. We were not all allowed to speak in the Amendment Motion," said TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee.

Banerjee alleged that this was a farce proceeding. "This is a black day of democracy...Jagdambika Pal is the greatest blacklister of democracy. He is a man who has destroyed democracy...", he said.

However, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, a member of the panel, said that the meeting was held today in a very democratic manner. "The Chairperson's Jagdambika Pal tried to hear everybody out and gave sufficient time for everybody to move the amendment that everybody wished to. There are 44 amendments to the principal Act 1995 that had been proposed by the government which had been tabled before all of us to deliberate upon. Against these 44 amendments, the Opposition party MPs had actually proposed amendments with regard to 43 proposals of the government. As far as NDA MPs are concerned, they had moved 24 proposals. The voting was mostly 10:16. They were 10 members and we were 16," said Sarangi, while accusing Banerjee of trying to create ruckus.

Pal rejected the charge, and said the entire exercise was democratic, and the majority view prevailed. One of the more significant amendments proposed by the committee is that the existing Waqf properties cannot be questioned on the grounds of 'Waqf by user', which existed in the current law but will be omitted in the new version if the properties are being used for religious purposes.

Pal said the amendments moved by the NDA members in 14 of the Bill's clauses have been accepted. Opposition members moved hundreds of amendments in all 44 clauses and all of them were defeated by vote, he added. (With agency inputs)