New Delhi: The report of the joint committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was tabled and subsequently accepted by the Rajya Sabha amid massive protests by the opposition, forcing chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar to briefly adjourn proceedings on February 13.
The Bill, which aims to streamline registration of Waqf properties, was tabled by Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni. Opposition MPs claimed that portions of dissent notes were removed and resorted to sloganeering. The uproar continued as Dhankhar tried to read out a message from the President as proceedings resumed. The opposition eventually staged a walkout of the Rajya Sabha during the discussion on the report.
Leader of Opposition and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition would not accept "fake reports" that "bulldoze our views". The Congress chief demanded that the report be sent back to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and presented again.
Countering Kharge's claims, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the dissent notes were attached in the appendix of the report and accused the opposition of misleading the House. "There is no deletion or removal from the report... The members of the Opposition are creating an unnecessary issue," he said.
What is Waqf Bill?The Bill proposes a complete overhaul of the governance of Waqf boards, which oversee properties donated for religious and charitable purposes by the Muslim community. Among the key provisions of the bill are the inclusion of at least two non-Muslim members on state Waqf boards and arbitration by a government official to decide whether a property is Waqf property or not. |
