JPC Clears Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, Opposition Protests
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 concluded its deliberations on Monday, adopting all 14 amendments proposed by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) while rejecting those put forward by the opposition. The committee’s decision, supported by a majority vote, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who allege procedural violations and disregard for democratic practices during the review process.
Jagdambika Pal, chairperson of the JPC, stated that the committee had discussed 44 amendments over six months. “A total of 14 amendments were accepted based on the majority vote, while 10 opposition amendments were rejected. This marks the conclusion of our deliberations,” Pal told ANI after the final meeting.
In a joint statement released on the same day, opposition MPs expressed their dissent, accusing the committee of mishandling the review process and sidelining minority voices. They claimed that 95% of stakeholders who appeared before the committee opposed the bill, with the remaining 5% representing communal entities.
The opposition alleged that crucial procedural norms were disregarded, including the failure to provide minutes of meetings held in Delhi and other locations. They accused the JPC chairperson of preventing members from presenting their views and conducting clause-by-clause discussions. Opposition members further criticised the abrupt changes in the agenda, particularly during the committee’s visits to Patna, Kolkata, and Lucknow earlier this month.
According to the opposition, stakeholders from these states were given 15 days to submit their written views, but the documents had not yet been made available to the committee. Despite this, the chairperson allegedly proceeded with discussions on the bill’s clauses without their input.
The statement also highlighted an incident on 23 January, when the committee’s agenda was suddenly changed to focus on stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir, and a subsequent meeting on 25 January was cancelled without explanation. Opposition members who raised concerns during the 24 January meeting were reportedly suspended from proceedings.
In their statement, the opposition accused the chairperson of “autocratic behaviour” and claimed that he had unilaterally moved and rejected amendments on behalf of opposition members. They argued that this undermined their efforts to safeguard the constitutional assurances given to minorities, framing the committee’s actions as part of a broader agenda by the Union government to erode secular values.
The opposition appealed to the public to stand against what they described as the government’s attempts to impose a divisive agenda. They urged citizens to uphold the secular foundations of the Constitution, which were established by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, which seeks to make changes to the existing framework governing Waqf properties, has been a contentious issue since its introduction. The opposition has argued that the proposed amendments disproportionately impact minority rights and undermine the secular fabric of the country. With the bill now cleared by the JPC, its passage in Parliament is expected to spark further debate and protests.
The Opposition leaders who signed the protest statement included MPs A Raja, Gaurav Gogoi, Asaduddin Owaisi, Kalyan Banerjee, Syed Naseer Hussain, Mohibbullah and Imran Masood.
