The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill convened for the first time on Thursday, August 22, 2024, with officials from the Minority Affairs and Law Ministries providing an overview of the proposed amendments in the draft legislation.
This 31-member committee,
chaired by BJP's Jagdambika Pal, has been assigned by the Lok Sabha
to thoroughly review the bill, which has sparked opposition from political
parties and Muslim organizations. The Minority Affairs Ministry officials are
expected to brief the committee on the specifics of the "amendments
proposed in the Bill," according to a statement from the Lok Sabha
Secretariat.
Jagdambika
Pal emphasized that the
committee will engage in an in-depth discussion of the bill, addressing the
concerns raised by various stakeholders. He stated that all 44 proposed
amendments would be examined carefully to produce a well-rounded and
comprehensive bill for the next session.
Pal also mentioned that the
committee plans to consult with various Muslim organizations representing
different sects to hear their perspectives.
This Bill represents a
significant move by the BJP-led NDA government to reform the
registration process for Waqf properties through the introduction of a centralized
portal. Among the proposed changes is the establishment of a Central
Waqf Council, which will work alongside State Waqf Boards and
include representation for Muslim women and non-Muslims.
A particularly controversial
aspect of the Bill is the provision to empower district collectors as
the primary authority to determine whether a property should be classified as Waqf
or government land.
The Bill was initially
introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024, and was referred to a
joint parliamentary committee following intense debate. While the government
insists that the law does not aim to interfere with the operations of mosques,
the Opposition argues that it targets Muslims and undermines the
Constitution.
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