New Delhi [India], February 13 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) member on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Kalyan Banerjee, on Thursday claimed that their (opposition MPs) dissent notes have been excluded from the JPC report.
The TMC MP further stated that evidence on their dissent notes has also not been considered.
"Our dissent notes have been excluded from the report. The rule says that only an inappropriate remark can be removed... Our evidence has not been considered... We will also go to the Speaker regarding this..." Banerjee told ANI.
Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque, who were members of the panel, had submitted their dissent notes to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Meanwhile, the JPC report on Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled in the upper house (Rajya Sabha) of the Parliament today. The report was tabled by the BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni amid ruckus and continual sloganeering by the opposition members.
Kulkarni also tabled a copy of the record of evidence given before the panel on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
The JPC report's presentation was followed by uproar in the Upper House of the Parliament, leading to the adjournment of the session till 11.20 am. However, soon after the proceedings were resumed, the house witnessed the disruption from the opposition MPs.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that instead of focusing on the already available Waqf Act, an attempt is being made to bring a politically motivated amendment.
Speaking to ANI, Gogoi asserted that several members of parliament have expressed their dissent in the JPC report, highlighting the constitutional negligence caused by this bill.
"Currently, there is an act that manages Waqf properties, and instead of focusing on how the government can better implement this act, an attempt has been made to bring a politically motivated amendment," he said.
"When the Bill will be discussed in the Parliament, it will become clear how the government brought this bill without any preparation," Gogoi added.
Congress MP KC Venugopal also slammed the Centre and said that the way in which the JPC conducted, it "was wrong."
Earlier today, BJP MP and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagadambika Pal said that the JPC will present its report in Parliament today, after six months of nationwide consultations.
"Today, the JPC will produce its report in the Parliament. To have a detailed discussion and deliberation, the JPC was formed six months ago. In the last six months, we have prepared a report after touring the whole nation. We have adopted 25 amendments in 14 clauses," he said.
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.