- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: In advance of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 being presented, Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, voiced strong opposition to the bill, arguing that it could “disturb the peace in the country.” He criticized the lack of a clause-by-clause discussion in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and stated that the legislation violates both the Constitution and the rights of minorities.
“The clause-by-clause discussion that should have taken place in the JPC did not happen. From the beginning, the government’s intent has been to pass a law that is opposed to the Constitution and the interests of minorities, which will upset the country’s peace,” Gogoi stated.
In contrast, Jagdambika Pal, the Chairman of the JPC on the Waqf Amendment Bill, stated that the upcoming legislation would benefit poor and Pasmanda (backward) Muslims. Pal called it a “historic day,” emphasizing that the hard work of the JPC, which engaged stakeholders across multiple states, has yielded results. He mentioned that meetings were held where the opposition’s viewpoints were heard for eight hours daily.
“Our efforts have paid off… The government is introducing the bill in its amended form today. This is indeed a historic day. With the passage of this bill, poor and Pasmanda Muslims will benefit… Over the last six months, we’ve held JPC meetings and listened to the opposition for eight hours every day,” Pal told ANI.
As Parliament reconvenes, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is expected to move the Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025, which seeks to revise the Waqf Act of 1995. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have both issued whips to their MPs to secure their attendance in the House.
Given the absence of signs of bipartisan agreement between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the opposition INDIA bloc, the bill’s fate will likely be determined by the majority in the House.
The legislation will be introduced post today’s Question Hour, followed by an eight-hour discussion that may be extended as necessary. The bill was initially presented in the Lok Sabha last August, leading to the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee under Jagdambika Pal’s leadership for further examination. The purpose of the bill is to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to address issues related to the regulation and management of Waqf properties.
