Panel clears Waqf bill with 14 amendments, all proposed by NDA MPs

The Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has reportedly cleared it after accepting 14 amendments — all proposed by the ruling BJP-led NDA members.

Every change moved by Opposition members has reportedly been negated. A total of 572 amendments to the draft legislation had been suggested by members of the panel that had the government and the opposition at loggerheads for months.

Opposition cries foul

Committee chairman Jagdambika Pal told reporters after the meeting that amendments adopted by the committee would make the law better and more effective.

However, opposition MPs decried the meeting’s proceedings and accused Pal of “subverting” the democratic process.

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“It was a farcical exercise. We were not heard. Pal has acted in a dictatorial manner,” TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee told reporters.

Pal rejected the charge, claiming the entire exercise was democratic, and the majority view prevailed.

A significant amendment

One of the more significant amendments proposed by the committee is that the existing Waqf properties cannot be questioned on the grounds of “Waqf by user”, which existed in the current law but will be omitted in the new version, if the properties are being used for religious purposes.

Also read: Protesting opposition members suspended from Parliamentary panel on Waqf bill

Pal said the amendments moved by the NDA members in 14 of the Bill’s clauses have been accepted.

Opposition members moved hundreds of amendments in all 44 clauses and all of them were defeated by vote, he added.

(With agency inputs)