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As the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) seeks an extension on examining the Waqf (amendment) Bill and consult more stakeholders, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it an "anti federal bill" in the state's assembly on Thursday.
"There were no discussion with us (state governments) regarding waqf bill. It will destroy waqf properties. Why have they proposed a bill like this which is absolutely against one particular religion. This is an anti federal bill," said CM Banerjee during the West Bengal Assembly session. Meanwhile in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh also criticised the functioning of the JPC, saying that a number of stakeholders from various states have not been consulted. "The JPC tour was completed without quorum. This was completely against the decorum and parliamentary traditions, so the tour was cancelled midway. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal are such big states, we did not go there," Singh said. "No information was taken from any state like Punjab, Haryana and Himachal. It was said that the representative of the Delhi government would be called, but that was not done," he said. The AAP MP said that the Parliament should pass the motion to extend the time limit of the JPC to facilitate a comprehensive discussion. "The House has referred this bill to the JPC for discussion, so a comprehensive discussion should be held, the discussion has not been completed and you are saying that we will present the draft. Therefore, I think that the proposal to extend the time limit should be passed in the House today and its time limit should be extended," Sanjay Singh said. Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav welcomed the JPC seeking an extension and consulting more stakeholders, saying that if a bill is brought in a hurry it will be an "incomplete bill." "The extension of tenure of JPC on Waqf Bill is right as the report cannot be submitted so soon. If any legislation is brought in a hurry then it will remain incomplete and more amendments will have to be done in it," he told ANI on Thursday JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal said on Wednesday that he will move a resolution for extending the term of the panel which is examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Jagdambika Pal said opposition members should not boycott the proceedings of the committee over their demands. Opposition members have been seeking an extension of the term of the joint committee to listen to more stakeholders. (ANI)
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