New Delhi:
Waqf Amendment Bill Sparks Heated Debate in Rajya Sabha as Opposition Alleges Dissent Note Omissions
In a tumultuous session of the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled, prompting a fierce backlash from Opposition members who accused the government of deleting their dissent notes from the report. The controversy unfolded in New Delhi during the ongoing Budget Session, highlighting deep divisions between the government and the Opposition.
The report, presented by BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni, was immediately met with protests from the Opposition, led by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge vehemently criticized the report, alleging that key portions of the dissent notes submitted by Opposition members had been expunged. He termed the report “condemnable” and “anti-democratic,” urging Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to reject it and send it back for reconsideration.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, refuted these allegations, stating that no deletions had been made from the report. Rijiju emphasized that all dissent notes were included in the appendix of the report and that the Opposition’s claims were “false and misleading.” He pointed out that the JPC had followed all parliamentary procedures during its six-month consultation period, which included 38 meetings and nationwide stakeholder consultations.
The JPC report, adopted on January 29, includes 25 amendments across 14 clauses aimed at addressing long-standing issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments of Waqf properties. The amendments propose reforms like digitization, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. Despite these efforts, Opposition members from parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP, and AIMIM continued to express strong objections, arguing that the bill undermines the autonomy of Waqf boards and interferes with Muslim religious affairs.
The debate turned heated when Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rebuked the protesting MPs, advising them to “learn some basic manners.” The Opposition staged a walkout in protest, further escalating the tensions in the House. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also weighed in, criticizing the Opposition for attempting to disrupt the proceedings and create confusion.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, is part of broader efforts to improve the regulation and management of Waqf properties, which have been plagued by mismanagement and corruption since the enactment of the Waqf Act in 1995.
