Women from the Muslim community in Bhopal have voiced their support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is scheduled for presentation in Parliament today.
As legislative proceedings resume, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is set to introduce the bill, which seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal, who chaired the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, stated that the proposed changes would primarily benefit the poor and Pasmanda (backward) Muslims.
"Our hard work has paid off... The government is coming with the bill in an amended form today. This is definitely a historic day. Today, with the passing of this bill, the poor and Pasmanda Muslims are going to benefit... We have conducted the JPC meetings in the last six months. We have heard them (opposition) eight hours every day," Pal maintained.
He further remarked that extensive consultations were held with stakeholders across multiple states and that opposition concerns were duly heard.
The bill has drawn resistance from sections of the opposition, with Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala cautioning against any provisions that might "de-establish" a particular community.
"Definitely, we will oppose this bill if something in it is against a particular community or trying to de-establish that community. They (the government) have given us eight hours today to discuss it. Our final agenda is that when there is a discussion, the issues raised by the opposition or the ruling should be considered because this is a democratic platform; they should not bulldoze as they did in the JPC," Chamala said.
BJP leader Mohsin Raza, however, lauded the bill and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the amendment "the biggest 'Eidi'" for marginalised Muslims.
"On behalf of all the downtrodden and backward Muslim brothers and sisters of the country, I thank Prime Minister Modi for this Waqf Amendment Bill. This will be the biggest 'Eidi' from PM Modi for backward Muslims," Raza remarked.
The bill, first introduced in the Lok Sabha in August last year, underwent scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee led by Jagdambika Pal before being brought forward for consideration today. It seeks to modernise the administration and governance of waqf properties, addressing past criticisms of the Waqf Act of 1995, including alleged mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.
Proposed amendments include renaming the Act, refining the definition of waqf properties, improving registration processes, and incorporating technology for record management.
With the BJP and Congress issuing whips to their MPs to ensure full attendance in the House, the bill’s passage may ultimately hinge on numerical strength rather than bipartisan consensus.
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