Opposition members question provisions of Waqf bill as JPC holds first meet, next on August 30

New Delhi: The first meeting of the Joint Committee of Parliament to review the Waqf Board Bill witnessed some sharp exchanges as opposition members including TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee questioned the government over various matters, including the dropping of some Urdu words from the amendment bill.

Apart from Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh, Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and DMK’s A Raja were among the Opposition MPs who raised questions over several clauses in the legislation, especially the clause that empowered district collector in the case of disagreements in the registration of properties with the government, as well as the clause which allowed for to be part of the Waqf boards.

Chairman of the committee, BJP Lok Sabha MP Jagdambika Pal assured all the members that all the 44 amendments to the existing legislation will be reviewed extensively. Some of the Opposition members questioned the union ministry of minority affairs for not being prepared enough about the legislation.

The next meeting of the committee will be held on August 30.

After the meeting was over, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told reporters that the legislation was violative of Article 24 of the Constitution which guaranteed freedom of religion. “Whether it is a mandir, masjid, gurudwara or church, the government should not interfere in the affairs of any religious body. The Modi government, however, intends to take up the land available from these boards and then hand it over to industrialists,” Singh alleged.

YSRCP MP Vijaysai Redy said on X that the party is opposed to the bill. “This bill has many concerns of various stakeholders and is not acceptable in its current form. As a member of JPC, I would like to hear from all the stakeholders and be your voice in the committee,” he posted, in addition to asking for suggestions from people.