The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 convened at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi on Thursday to hear from various experts and stakeholders. The committee, led by Chairman Jagdambika Pal, included notable members such as Asaduddin Owaisi.
The primary focus of this meeting was to gather insights and feedback on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill from a range of voices. Among those who presented their views were Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor of Chanakya National Law University in Patna, as well as representatives from Pasmanda Muslim Mahaaz and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Their contributions aimed to provide a comprehensive perspective on the proposed amendments to the bill.
This session was part of a series of meetings planned to scrutinise the bill. Another important session is scheduled for September 20, during which the committee will hear from the All India Sajjadanashin Council from Ajmer, Muslim Rashtriya Manch from Delhi, and Bharat First from Delhi.
The committee's schedule had initially included a meeting on September 18, but this was postponed due to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and the Eid-e-Milad procession in Maharashtra. As a result, the meetings were rescheduled to the 19th and 20th of September.
Earlier, on September 6, the committee held its fourth meeting to review the bill. During this session, officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) presented their findings. Stakeholders such as the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board also shared their opinions and evidence regarding the bill.
In a related development, on September 13, a group of Muslim social workers and Islamic scholars in Delhi voiced their support for the government's stance on the Waqf Bill.
They argued that scepticism towards the government's intentions was misplaced. Islamic scholar Mufti Wajahat Qasmi addressed concerns raised by political opponents, stating that the notion of the government undermining Muslim interests was unfounded.
He emphasised that the bill was not intended to dispossess Muslims of their property, and criticised the opposition for failing to read and understand the bill thoroughly.
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