Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday criticized the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, alleging that the committee disregarded opposition input and served a political agenda.
“You rejected all 44 amendments proposed by the opposition while accepting all amendments from the ruling party. You are not listening to us. Was this a JPC or a mere formality? The purpose of this JPC was political,” Tiwari stated in an interview with ANI.
According to the list of businesses, the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 will not be tabled in the House today. The report was submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30, 2025. On the same day, JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal met with the Speaker to hand over the committee’s final report on the bill.
The committee had adopted the draft report and the revised amended bill on January 29. However, opposition leaders submitted dissent notes, expressing concerns over the process. The JPC had earlier cleared the Waqf Bill, 1995, with 25 amendments across 14 clauses and sections.
Speaking to ANI, Pal defended the process, stating, “We have adopted the report and the amended revised bill. For the first time, we have included a section ensuring that the benefits of Waqf properties extend to marginalized communities, poor individuals, women, and orphans. Tomorrow, we will present this report to the Speaker.”
He further elaborated, “We reviewed 44 clauses, with proposed amendments in 14 of them. A majority vote was conducted, and the amendments were adopted accordingly.”
The Waqf Act of 1995, originally enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long faced criticism over issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to address these concerns through reforms including digitization, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms for reclaiming illegally occupied properties.
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