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The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will present its report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha today, despite controversy over opposition dissent notes. The report will be tabled by JPC Chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, along with BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal, during the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.
The Waqf Bill, which is aimed at amending the Waqf Act of 1995, has been a hotly debated topic, especially concerning issues of transparency, governance, and the management of Muslim charitable properties in India. The JPC, reviewing the bill, has made several amendments, including provisions aimed at enhancing accountability and digitization of Waqf properties, besides introducing stricter measures to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
An important feature of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is the provisions that make the benefits of the Waqf properties go towards the deprived segments of society-the poor, women, and orphans. That is a huge change in handling these resources. JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal made it clear that these changes indicate the commitment of the committee toward improving the system and redressing historical lacunas.
On January 29, 2024, it held a vote and unanimously approved the report and its amendments. However, controversies hindered the committee’s progress, as opposition members strongly criticized the BJP ruling amendment claims, claiming they were trying to weaken the Waqf boards’ independent authority. Along with their arguments against the new amendments included in the report, opposition members of parliament who were present at the meeting filed some dissent notes.
More controversy is triggered by dissent notes from the opposition leaders- Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. In particular, Owaisi has charged that some of the sections in his dissent note were “redacted” without his consent. According to him, the JPC had attempted to censor the voices of dissenting people by redacting those parts. “These redacted sections were not contentious at all but mere narration of facts, said Owaisi.
I had submitted a detailed dissent note to JPC against the Waqf Bill. It is shocking that portions of my note were redacted without my knowledge. The deleted portions were not controversial; they only stated facts,” Owaisi said on social media.
Opposition leaders, including Hussain, have also complained about the lack of transparency in the committee’s proceedings and accused the ruling BJP of strangulating opposition views. Hussain criticized the committee for “censoring dissenting voices” and questioned why the JPC was trying to suppress opposition views on a vital piece of legislation.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill attempts to address longstanding issues with the management of Waqf properties, which have been marred by mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. It includes provisions related to digitization of records, enhancement of transparency, and proper audits of Waqf properties. Proponents of the bill argue that the reforms will update the system to make it more accountable to the public.
The opposition, however, believes that the bill centralizes power and disempowers Waqf boards in administering such properties. It is of the view that this would result in more bureaucratic interference and erode the autonomy of local Waqf bodies.
The debate over the future of Waqf management in India will intensify when the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is presented to Parliament. The opposition parties continue to be outspoken in their criticism of what they see as the central government’s overreach, even though the ruling BJP has stood by its claim that these amendments will bring about much-needed reforms.
The outcome of this discussion will have a significant impact on how Waqf properties are managed nationwide and may have an impact on future laws pertaining to the subject. Both sides will continue to present their arguments as the session goes on, and the bill’s final decision is expected to be made in the days that follow.
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