"Committee received various suggestions": BJP MP and Parliament panel member DK Aruna on Waqf meeting in Hyderabad

BJP MP and member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, DK Aruna, said that in the meeting held on Saturday, the committee held discussions with stakeholders, advocates, and farmers and received various suggestions.

She informed that the committee will conduct the consultation exercise in Chennai on Monday and after that, it will be conducted in Bengaluru. She also said that the committee will tour other states too in the second phase of a nationwide consultation exercise.

Speaking to ANI, Aruna said, "The Joint Parliamentary Committee is conducting a touring meet, initially it was conducted in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and today we are in Hyderabad. On Monday we will go to Chennai and after that Bengaluru in the first phase. The committee will tour other states too in the second phase. In the meeting, we held discussions with stakeholders, advocates, farmers...We received a lot of suggestions from them...The committee has been formed to listen to the grievances of the stakeholders and based on them the committee will submit the report to the speaker..."

Waqf Amendment Bill JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress MP Imran Masood were among others who were present in the meeting held at Hotel Taj Krishna, Hyderabad.

Speaking on the meeting, the JPC chief said, "We held discussions with the Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman, Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board Chairman. Stakeholders from 42 organisations participated in the discussions. We are holding discussions with stakeholders across various cities. From here, we will go to Chennai and then Bangalore. Earlier, we went to Ahmedabad and Mumbai. We are also going to Delhi. We have to submit the report before next Parliament session and we will discuss with as many stakeholders as possible and make a comprehensive report."

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Aug 8 and was then referred to a JPC after a heated debate.

The JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 is holding a series of informal discussions with various stakeholders till October 1.

These consultations aim to refine the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, which governs the management of over 600,000 registered Waqf properties across the country.

The Waqf Act, 1995, was created to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitization, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The committee has to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the next parliament session. (ANI)