JPC clears Waqf bill, accepts NDA’s 14 amendments; Opposition calls it ‘farcical exercise’

On Monday, the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill approved all amendments suggested by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and rejected all modifications proposed by the opposition MPs.

“ A total of 44 amendments were discussed. After detailed discussions over the course of 6 months, we sought amendments from all members. This was our final meeting… So, 14 amendments have been accepted by the committee on the basis of a majority. Opposition too had suggested amendments. We moved each and every of those amendments & it was put to vote but there were 10 votes supporting theirs (suggested amendments) and 16 votes opposing it,” JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal told ANI after the meeting.

The opposition MPs slammed the meeting’s proceedings, accusing the JPC chairperson of “subverting” the democratic processes.
“It was a farcical exercise. We were not heard. Pal has acted in a dictatorial manner,” PTI quoted TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee as saying.

“Today, they did everything that they had pre-decided. They did not allow us to speak anything. No rules and procedures have been followed… We wanted to discuss the amendments clause-by-clause but did not let us speak at all. The JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal moved the amendments and then declared them without listening to our points… This is a bad day for democracy,” Banerjee added.

Pal denied the accusation, stating that the whole process was democratic and that the majority opinion won.  In August of the previous year, the Waqf (Amendment) bill was sent to the 21-member JPC. The law aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to alter the authority of state waqf boards, conduct surveys of waqf properties, and eliminate encroachments.