NEW DELHI: A day after Opposition members met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to lodge a protest against ‘unilateral’ decisions taken by chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday expressed reservations over the panel’s alleged constitutional violations.
In a statement, the AIMPLB spokesperson Dr SQR Ilyas said that the JPC has been violating rules in dealing with the Waqf Bill consultations. It said the dates were also being altered to deny the designated Muslim outfits a chance to make presentations.
Ilyas also urged the panel to give a patient hearing to all the stakeholders and not hasten up the process for its “ulterior motives”.
“JPC should seek suggestions/opinions only from the relevant persons or organisations, who are directly involved with Waqf (the stakeholders) but unfortunately is seeking suggestions/opinions from Central ministries, ASI, RSS-supported organisations,” he said.
The AIMPLB said that when the Waqf Bill was presented before Parliament, there was a huge outcry because of the way it was “bulldozed” and this was the reason behind it getting referred to the JPC. “We demand the JPC take into account the objections of the AIMPLB and trustworthy Muslim organisations, and avoid people and organisations who are in no way related to the Waqf matters,” it said.