New Delhi, Jan 27: The parliamentary committee scrutinising the Waqf bill is set to propose that existing “Waqf by user” properties will remain so if not in dispute or are government facilities but they must be registered before the new law takes effect, providing little relief to Waqf bodies in their unverified title claims.
Opposition MPs on Monday proposed amendments in all 44 clauses of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, seeking to mostly restore the provisions of the current Act, and claimed that the law proposed by the committee in its report would maintain the Bill’s “draconian” character and the bid to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims.
While the accepted amendments make some concessions to Muslim bodies criticising the Bill, including leaving it to Waqf boards to decide on welfare measures for widows and orphans, among others, instead of mandating it by law, a few of them may further irk the critics.
The meeting of the joint parliamentary committee headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal was again marked by noisy protests by opposition members, who accused him of “subverting” democratic process.
The panel is set to adopt its report on Wednesday with MPs of opposition parties such as the Congress, TMC, DMK and the AIMIM expected to give their dissent, sources said.
The committee will now meet for one last time, likely on Wednesday, the timing for which was notified on Monday.
All 32 amendments proposed by BJP MPs and their allies from the TDP and the JD(U) were accepted. Opposition MPs put forward more than 500 amendments at Monday’s meeting.
With Parliament’s Budget Session set to begin on January 31, the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance can get the Bill passed in the first half of the session as it enjoys a majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, they added.
Among the amendments that may draw further objection from Muslim groups and opposition parties is that a Waqf board can now have even four non-Muslim members instead of two.
One of the changes passed by the panel said “two of total members of the Board appointed under this sub-section, excluding ex-officio members, shall be non-Muslim”, the sources said.
The phrase “excluding ex-officio members” did not feature in the Bill.
While the Bill states that only a person practising Islam for at least five years may declare a Waqf, which refers to properties dedicated exclusively for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law, an approved amendment adds that such a person should be showing or demonstrating that he or she is practising the religion for five years, according to the sources.
Waqf bill’s ‘draconian’ character to remain despite examination by joint panel: oppn MPs
Opposition members of the joint committee of Parliament examining the Waqf bill on Monday claimed the Bill’s “draconian” character and bid to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims would remain despite examination by the panel.
The opposition members, whose proposed amendments to the Bill during the committee’s meeting on Monday were rejected, also accused panel chair Jagdambika Pal of being “undemocratic” in the committee’s functioning and alleged he had enabled the Union government to add a saffron colour to this secular nation by using its majority in Parliament.
DMK MP A Raja alleged that the committee’s proceedings were reduced to a “mockery” and that the “report is already ready by this time.”
“The DMK, myself, will move the Supreme Court to strike down the new law after it receives Parliament’s nod,” he said.
Pal, however, rebutted the charges, and said the panel considered all the amendments in a democratic way. The view of the majority prevailed. (PTI)
