Next meeting of JPC on Waqf Bill to be held on January 27

Meanwhile, Jagdambika Pal, chairman of the JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee of using "unparliamentary" language against him. Pal said that the house was adjourned twice due to the alleged ruckus created by the opposition leaders, who have been suspended from the JPC meeting.

Pal said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey moved a motion to suspend the opposition MPs for creating a "ruckus" after they resorted to "shouting" and "sloganeering," which prevented the meeting from continuing.

"We adjourned the house twice. We had given time to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the suggestions of the opposition only. Kalyan Banerjee used unparliamentary words against me and abused me. I kept requesting him to let the invitees speak. However, they were adamant about creating a ruckus. We adjourned the house again and again but they (opposition MPs) did not want the meeting to continue. From Jammu and Kashmir, a delegation had come but they (opposition MPs) kept shouting and sloganeering...so finally Nishikant Dubey had to move a motion and everyone agreed to suspend them," Jagdambika Pal told ANI.

Responding to allegations of changing the subject of the notice for the JPC sitting, Pal said that the agenda was changed only for today and considering the requests made by the opposition, who wanted Kashmiri cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to be invited to the meeting.

"We changed the agenda for today only on the request of the opposition leaders who contacted me saying that Mirwaiz should be invited and shifted today's agenda (to hold a discussion clause-by-clause to January 27," Pal added.

Furthermore, responding to the allegations rushing the JPC proceedings ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, the senior BJP leader said that it was Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju who urged the speaker to refer the bill to JPC and not the opposition.

"If the government wanted to hasten things, why would it refer the bill to JPC? The government has a majority in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The opposition didn't, but Kiren Rijiju, after introducing it in the Parliament, himself urged the speaker to refer the bill to JPC," Pal said, adding, "Mirwaiz and his delegation expressed their concerns and raised objections to certain sections (of the bill). This shows that the parliamentary democracy in the country is being strengthened."

The JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is expected to submit its report during the Budget session, with the committee's term extended during the winter session of Parliament.

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

The Budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 and continue till April 4, with the Union Budget to be presented on February 1.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)