BHUBANESWAR: Even as Muslim organisations representing their community in Odisha strongly opposed the proposed amendment to the Waqf Act of 1995, the state government did not offer its views to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
On Monday, the five-member JPC under chairman Jagdambika Pal held meeting with the stakeholders to garner their views and opinion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. However, state Law secretary and other officials reportedly had nothing to say on the matter. When they were asked to submit their position either orally or in written form, they reportedly told the committee that they had no specific instructions from the government on the matter and may be allowed to inform the JPC at a later date.
“The JPC members were surprised with the lackadaisical approach of the state government to such an important Bill, particularly when the committee has come to the state to take opinions of cross sections of the society before submitting its report to the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The submission made by government officers before the JPC had no clarity nor point of view,” members of a civil society organisation who attended the meeting told TNIE.
Talking to mediapersons, the JPC chief said, 16 organisations had expressed their desire to appear before the committee here and all were given opportunity. Apart from Muslim organisations from different districts, representatives of Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, Jai Rajguru Samridhi Sansad and Sangrami Narayan Smriti Parishad of Khurda, Geeta Granth Parishad and Orissa High Court lawyers submitted their views.
Earlier, BJP MP and JPC member Aparajita Sarangi told reporters the committee has so far held 25 sittings for over 100 hours.
95L submissions received on Bill, says committee
“The JPC has already visited eight states including Odisha. We have received more than 95.86 lakh oral and written submissions through e-mail, courier and in-person delivery. As many as 195 organisations from across the country have expressed their desire to be heard and 146 have already appeared before the JPC,” she said.
Sarangi said that all the submission made before the committee will be scrutinised and a report will be submitted to Speaker Om Birla soon. The report will be placed before the Parliament in the ensuing winter session.