Waqf Amendment Bill In Lok Sabha On Wednesday, 3 Days Before Session Ends
Waqf Amendment Bill In Lok Sabha On Wednesday, 3 Days Before Session Ends
M.U.H
01/04/202525
New Delhi: The Waqf Amendment Bill - which proposes several changes to laws governing central and state boards, which decide how Muslim charitable properties are administered - will be tabled in the Lok Sabha Wednesday, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said this afternoon.
The current Parliament session - i.e., the second half of the Budget session - ends Friday and Mr Rijiju, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said he wanted to allow MPs sufficient time to debate changes that have triggered a fierce row between the ruling BJP and the opposition.
Accordingly, the bill will be tabled in the Lok Sabha after the Question Hour and eight hours have been allotted for discussion. This can be extended at Speaker Om Birla's discretion.
The bill had been first tabled in the Lower House in August last year, after which it was sent to a joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny. The JPC submitted its report in February.
The report was filed after squabbles between members from opposition parties and those from the BJP, and its allies, over the committee's functioning. Opposition MPs accused the Chair - BJP MP Jagadambika Pal - of bias and rushing the bill through without proper consultations.
The BJP refuted that claims; panel member and Lok Sabha MP Aparajita Sarangi said Mr Pal "tried to hear everybody out and gave sufficient time for everybody to move amendments..."
The JPC held nearly three dozen hearings in six months but many of those ended in chaos, and at least one in physical violence after Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass bottle on the table, after claiming provocation from the BJP's Abhijit Gangopadhyay.
Eventually 66 changes were proposed, of which all 44 from the opposition were rejected while the 23 from BJP and allied parties were accepted. After a vote 14 of the 23 were cleared.
The removal of an annexure containing dissent notes from the opposition MPs triggered another row.
The centre said the Chair had the discretion but, after talks, said the dissent notes would be included.
The removal of an annexure containing dissent notes from the opposition MPs triggered another row.
The centre said the Chair had the discretion but, after talks, said the dissent notes would be included.
The JPC had 16 MPs from the BJP and allied parties, and 10 from the opposition.
The original draft of the Waqf Amendment Bill had proposed 44 changes.
These included nominating non-Muslim and (at least two) women members to each Waqf board, as well as a Union Minister, three MPs and persons of 'national repute'. There was also a proposal to limit donations from Muslims practicing their religion for at least five years.
The proposals were fiercely criticised by the opposition; senior Congress leader KC Venugopal said it amounted to a "direct attack on the freedom of religion".
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and the DMK's Kanimozhi also spoke out, arguing the bill violated multiple sections of the Constitution, including Article 15 (the right to practice a religion of one's choice) and Article 30 (the right to minority communities to establish and administer educational institutions).
Sources earlier told NDTV the changes to the Waqf laws are meant to empower Muslim women and children who "suffered" under the old law.
The objective, it has been argued, is also to curb illegal occupancy of by Waqf boards, who, combined, have the largest land holdings in the country - around eight lakh acres; the Railways and the military have more but they are part of the government while the Waqf boards are private organisations.
Sources further claimed a "dangerous narrative" is being manufactured by certain Muslim clerics who are making wild statements that their land will be snatched.
