Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asserted that the government has no objections to incorporating dissenting notes from Opposition members into the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha amidst Opposition protests.
JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal presented the report in the Lower House on Thursday, while earlier in the day, the report was submitted in the Rajya Sabha, where Opposition leaders alleged that their dissenting views had been omitted.
Asserting the government’s stance amid persistent sloganeering from Opposition benches, Shah stated, “Some members of the Opposition have raised objections that their dissent notes have not been fully included in the report. On behalf of my party, I would like to request that the disputes of the opposition be included in the appropriate procedure of the parliamentary process; my party has no objection to this.”
Speaker Om Birla assured the House that all dissenting notes had been incorporated after due consultations with Opposition leaders. “Whatever issues were raised by the members of the Waqf Board who met with me, I have included them in the annexure,” Birla stated, following which the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 11 a.m. on March 10.
Opposition’s objection
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticised the JPC report, alleging that the dissenting views had been excised.
“In the JPC report on the Waqf Board, many members have their dissent report. It is not right to remove those notes and bulldoze our views. This is anti-democratic and condemnable. Stockholders were called from outside and their statements were taken. I condemn any report that has been presented after deleting the dissent reports. We will never accept such fake reports. If the report does not have dissent views, it should be sent back and presented again,” Kharge said.
Also read: Opposition MPs call Waqf Bill report 'biased', stage walkout from RS
Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, countered these allegations, calling the Opposition’s reaction "irresponsible."
He remarked, “Inside the Parliament, there are debates and discussions on various issues, and within a democracy, we agree to disagree, but we must respect traditions. While keeping traditions in mind, the proceedings of the house should be conducted under the provisions of the Constitution.”
Expressing regret over the conduct of Opposition MPs, he added, “I regret that despite repeated requests from the Chairman, the Opposition’s behaviour has been extremely irresponsible, and it deserves all the condemnation it receives.”
Government refutes allegations
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju categorically dismissed allegations of tampering with the JPC report, maintaining that the document had been tabled without any modifications.
“There is no deletion or removal of any part of the report. Everything is tabled on the floor of the House. Don’t mislead the House. I am very pained to say that the Opposition parties are making unnecessary issues by raising issues without facts. The allegation is false. There was no violation of any rules by the JPC. All the dissent notes are also included in the report. This is very unfortunate,” Rijiju remarked.
Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The Waqf Act of 1995 was enacted to regulate Waqf properties but has faced longstanding criticism regarding alleged mismanagement, corruption, and illegal encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to address these issues through measures such as digitisation of records, enhanced audit mechanisms, increased transparency, and legal provisions to recover encroached properties.
Despite the assurances given by the government, the Opposition remains adamant in its stance, setting the stage for further parliamentary confrontations over the contentious legislation.
Also read: Delhi HC issues notice to Amanatullah Khan in Waqf case
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