Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf bill to meet today

The opposition members in the Joint Parliament Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 had requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for an extension to the panel's tenure.

The Winter Session of Parliament commenced on Monday morning but faced early disruptions, leading to the adjournment of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, proceedings were stalled as Opposition MPs demanded a discussion on allegations of bribery involving the Gautam Adani group. The Upper House was initially adjourned until 11:45 am, but continued protests from Opposition MPs for a discussion on the Adani issue led to its adjournment for the rest of the day.

In the Lok Sabha, the session began with Speaker Om Birla reading out obituary references before adjourning the session until noon. Shortly thereafter, the Chair adjourned the House for the day, with both Houses scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Monday criticised the opposition parties over the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the Congress and the Communist parties of playing a "double game" on the issue.

"The Congress and Communist parties are playing a double game on the issue of the Waqf amendment bill. In Kerala and in Cochin, where the Christian and fisherman community is on an agitational path for establishing their rights, where the Waqf board has given an unjustifiable notice to the owners of their land, the CPM and Congress leaders come and support them. But when they go to Delhi, they oppose the rightful authority of the people holding their property..." said the BJP leader.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the bill a "grave violation of Article 26 of the Constitution."

Owaisi made the statement after meeting with other opposition MPs and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, to raise their demand for an extension of the Joint Parliament Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Highlighting the drawbacks of the bill, AIMIM chief Owaisi alleged that the government is bringing this bill to eradicate the Waqf Board rather than strengthening it. He questioned the "intention" of the government behind this bill.

Since August 22, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, has held several meetings, reviewing the work of six ministries and around 195 organisations. Of these, 146 organisations were heard across the country, and the secretariat received nearly 95 lakh suggestions related to the Waqf Bill.

It is worth noting that the Waqf Act of 1995, which was created to regulate waqf properties, has long faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption and encroachments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The JPC is holding a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members and community representatives from different states and Union Territories, aiming for the most comprehensive reform possible. (ANI)