Jagadambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Panel (JPC) on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, says the bill is a need of the hour and the report is expected to be tabled during the ongoing Budget session of Parliament. The BJP MP tells Preetha Nair that the new bill will give power to weaker sections in the Muslim community. Excerpts:
The panel report was expected to be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Why was it deferred?
It was listed for Monday. Probably it was not taken up because of the ongoing debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address and Union Budget. I submitted a copy of the report to the Speaker last week. Now it is his call. I hope the Speaker will give a schedule and time slot soon to table the report on the floor of the House.
Two Opposition MPs – AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Syed Naseer Hussain of Congress — have alleged that their dissent notes to the report have been redacted by you. Your take?
It is not true. The JPC final report runs into 482 pages and the dissent notes of the Opposition, for 281 pages. How many more pages do they require? According to rules of procedures of the Committee, unparliamentary/derogatory remarks over the functioning of the panel cannot be part of the report. Excluding that, I have incorporated all the clause-by-clause suggestions put forward by the opposition members.
The Opposition alleges that the entire JPC process was ‘undemocratic’ and the chairman bulldozed the proceedings…
The Opposition parties were very much part of the 37 meetings and three study tours of the panel. The members participated in all the meetings and they were given sufficient time from 11am to 6pm during the meetings. The members have also furnished amendments to all 44 clauses to the proposed legislation. All the amendments were passed by voting. In Parliamentary democracy, any amendment/bill is passed by voting of the members.
There was no consensus between the NDA and the Opposition on even a single amendment. The Opposition says the ruling party has a numerical advantage in the panel…
The people gave mandate to the BJP and the NDA to run the government. Is there any other system or procedure to pass a bill or amendment?
The Opposition has raised serious concerns over some of the key proposals in the draft report – changes to the composition of the Waqf Council and boards to include non-Muslims, the limitation act, and to bring the District Collector as the arbiter on whether a property is government land or not.
We have adopted the JPC report by majority voting. The amendments were also passed by a majority vote. The voting was conducted in a transparent and democratic manner. The government has brought in the amendments in the interests of Waqf and Waqif. There are reports of rampant corruption in managing the Waqf boards. Hence, a waqif’s contribution towards pious and religious purposes is not fulfilled in real sense. Have you seen any Waqf property running medical and engineering colleges in your city? The government has brought in the amendments for the transparent and efficient functioning of Waqfs.
The Opposition raised concerns that the Bill will weaken Muslim community.
It is not true. The new bill will give power to weaker sections in the Muslim community — widows, Pasmandas and orphans. Till now, the people who have vested interests have been running the Waqf boards and they misuse properties. The purpose of the Waqf and the Waqif will be fulfilled after the enactment of the Bill.