BJP MP Jagdambika Pal has criticised the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for its protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, dismissing it as a politically motivated move.
Pal, who chairs the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, argued that the demonstration was premature since the Act had not even been introduced. He pointed out that only a report had been submitted and the amendment bill had been brought forward, but no law had been passed yet.
“This is a political protest. The Act has not been introduced yet. We have only submitted our 428-page report… The amendment bill has been brought. They should speak after the bill is passed. On what basis are AIMPLB, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, AIMIM, or Opposition leaders gathering at Jantar Mantar?” Pal said to the media on Monday.
The BJP MP also clarified that the district magistrate (DM) would not have any powers under the proposed legislation. Instead, higher-ranking officials, such as the state secretary or commissioner, would handle any disputes concerning Waqf properties. He claimed that Waqf members themselves were selling land and that the amendments aimed to prevent such sales while benefiting the underprivileged.
Also read: AIMPLB to stage protest against Waqf Amendment Bill 2024
“The DM is not going to be given any rights. If there is a dispute over Waqf property, officials above the DM will look into it. The Act is being improved… They are misleading the nation. Nobody is taking away Waqf lands. If anyone is selling them, it is people within the Waqf itself. The amendment will prohibit such sales and benefit the poor,” Pal asserted.
Meanwhile, the AIMPLB staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, led by its member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. He described the demonstration as peaceful and urged the authorities to cooperate.
“People were coming from several districts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, but we have received reports that their buses are being stopped. This is a peaceful protest, and the administration should support us. The government should not be afraid and must listen to the voice of its people. If a government is so weak that it cannot hear its people, it has no right to rule,” Ilyas said while addressing the gathering.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also joined the protest, expressing concern over the ruling party’s amendments in the Joint Parliamentary Committee report. He alleged that these changes could lead to the dissolution of the Waqf Board.
Follow us
