NEW DELHI: Amid fierce attack from Muslim bodies, the first meeting of the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill saw dissenting voices from various Opposition members as well as NDA allies on the proposed law.
Though the Telugu Desam Party, a key ally of the NDA supported the bill in the Lok Sabha, it called for wider consultations during the JPC meeting, said sources. Early this week, TDP Parliamentary party leader and JPC member Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu told this paper that the party has begun consultations with all communities, including Muslims about their concerns.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board claimed that TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar have assured Muslim bodies that their parties would oppose the Waqf Bill. It also said it will launch a nationwide movement if the bill is not withdrawn.
Another BJP ally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), said that the Muslim community’s concerns should be addressed and pitched for more consultations. Speaking to this paper, some of the MPs said that the ministry failed to give ‘satisfactory replies’ to the queries raised in the meeting.
Though not part of the INDIA bloc, YSR Congress’ V Vijaysai Reddy also raised objections to several clauses of the bill, according to sources.
Several opposition members questioned the proposed amendments such as empowering district collectors in deciding on the ownership of a disputed land, and to induct non-Muslim members on Waqf boards.
Committee Chairperson Jagdambika Pal described the meeting, which went on for over six hours with a lunch break, as ‘fruitful’. He asserted that voices of different stakeholders would be heard. “We will discuss all 44 amendments and bring a comprehensive bill by the next session,” he said.
He said the committee would call various Muslim bodies representing different sects to hear their views.
AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi launched a scathing attack terming it as ‘unconstitutional’, said sources.
