JPC on Waqf Bill to submit report in Budget Session: Pal
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood strongly objected to the proposal for omission of ‘Waqf by user’ clause in the Bill
LUCKNOW The joint parliamentary committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, led by Jagdambika Pal, MP, will be submitting its final report to the Parliament in the upcoming Budget Session. On Tuesday, the panel held its last meeting with stakeholders in Lucknow, including members of the Shia and Sunni Waqf boards, UP minority welfare minister, legal entities and other delegations.
“We had a detailed discussion with the stakeholders and took suggestions from various Muslim organisations. We have already held meetings in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Bhubhaneswar, Kolkata and Patna. This was our last meeting in Lucknow... after this, the JPC report will be submitted in the upcoming Budget session,” said JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal, speaking to the media after the meeting,
However, JPC members including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood strongly objected to the proposal for omission of ‘Waqf by user’ clause in the Bill. The AIMIM chief also said that he requested the committee chairman not to submit the report in a hurry as representatives from Kashmir were yet to be heard on the issue.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
“Around 44 amendments are proposed in the Bill. We have asked our MPs to give their views in writing. We will circulate all these suggestions on January 23. And on January 24 and 25, we will hold a meeting in Delhi for a clause-by-clause discussion. The amendments, on which there is acceptance, will be passed. Dissent will be noted and voting will be done,” added Pal.
On the meeting of UP government representatives with JPC members on Tuesday, Pal said: “The UP government has said they have done an extensive survey, and till now, there is no data of some of the Waqf properties, encroached properties, disputed properties, etc. The government gave us a detailed presentation on the issue.”
However, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said: “In UP, 95% properties of the Waqf are those which were given as per the clause of ‘Waqf by user’. Now as per the Bill, if this clause is removed, then what will be the status of these properties? The parliament has given time till the last day of the Budget session for submitting the report. I would like to request our chairman not to submit the report in a hurry. We have not yet heard the representatives from Kashmir.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood said, “We can’t discuss the details of the meeting. If the ‘Waqf by user’ clause is deleted, then what will be left? This is an attempt to grab Waqf properties.”
The JPC also met Shia Waqf Board chairman Ali Zaidi, Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, officials of the minority welfare and waqf department, revenue department, UP minority welfare minister OP Rajbhar, MoS minority welfare and Haj Danish Azad Ansari and officials of the ministry of minority affairs, government of India.