New Delhi, October 15: A meeting of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) held on Tuesday to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 saw intense confrontations between ruling and opposition MPs, leading to a temporary walkout by opposition members. The friction arose when opposition MPs alleged that they were not given a fair opportunity to speak. They were miffed over the conduct of the ruling party MPs. Despite their initial exit, the opposition later rejoined the meeting.

Opposition MPs in the JPC sent a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal of violating parliamentary norms during the meeting on October 14. According to the letter, Pal allowed former Karnataka State Minority Commission chairman Anwar Manipady to make allegations against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, without giving opposition members sufficient time to counter the claims. They urged Speaker Birla to intervene and remind the chairman of his obligations under the parliamentary rules. Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024: Fifth JPC Meeting Witnesses Heated Arguments, Views and Counter-Views; AIMPLB Opposes Legislation.

Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 JPC Meet

During the Tuesday meeting, which included a presentation by officials from the Union Minority Ministry, tensions flared again. A heated exchange erupted between opposition leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Kalyan Banerjee, and BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Dilip Saikia, and Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The opposition accused the ruling party MPs of using abusive language, prompting their brief walkout before they returned to resume discussions. Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024: Several Opposition MPs Walk out of Joint Committee Meeting on Waqf Bill, Alleges Derogatory Remarks Against Them by BJP Member.

The last meeting of the JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was held on September 6. The meeting included presentations from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Zakat Foundation of India, and the Telangana Waqf Board. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 following a heated debate, was later referred to a JPC. The JPC is conducting discussions with various stakeholders, which are supposed to continue. The Waqf Bill seeks to reform the management of waqf properties, but some provisions have drawn criticism.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 15, 2024 04:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).