Parliament LIVE: Uproar in Parliament over JPC’s Waqf Amendment Bill report

Parliament LIVE: The Indian Parliament witnessed a fiery session as the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) placed its report on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, in the face of widespread protests by the opposition. The controversial bill to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 witnessed opposition leaders walking out, complaining of procedural lapses and alleged bias in the preparation of the report.

The JPC, which undertook extensive consultations across the country, proposed 25 amendments across 14 clauses in the bill. BJP leader Medha Vishram Kulkarni presented the report in the Lok Sabha amid loud objections from opposition members. The report includes dissenting notes from opposition MPs, who argued that their voices were not adequately considered during deliberations.

Opposition members, including AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, strongly opposed the bill, terming it “unconstitutional” and an attempt to “rob Waqf properties from Muslims.” Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi condemned the procedure, pointing out that the JPC members were given only one night to study the massive 655-page report. He also accused the committee of skipping clause-by-clause deliberations, a key part of legislative scrutiny.

#WATCH | On Waqf Amendment Bill, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owasi says, "…This bill is not just unconstitutional and violates Articles 14, 15 and 29 of the Constitution, it is not to save Waqf but to ruin it and snatching it from the Muslims…We condemn this bill…The Speaker has… pic.twitter.com/NFeP8Vfc20

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025

In a protest gesture, opposition lawmakers from Congress, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and other groups walked out, alleging that the government bulldozed the bill in Parliament without proper debate. JMM MP Mahua Maji cautioned that the initiative to regulate Waqf properties would open the door for interference in other religious communities’ assets.

Standing by the report, JPC Chairperson Jagdambika Pal claimed that the committee had followed all procedural norms and that views of dissent were placed in the appendix. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the allegations of the opposition, saying that “there is no deletion or removal from the report” and that the proceedings were held as per parliamentary procedures.

#WATCH | Delhi: On Opposition allegations that parts of dissent notes were blurred, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "… The whole report has been presented, and the annexure has also been presented in the House. If the dissent notes cast aspersion on the committee, then the… pic.twitter.com/UTzy7n13XQ

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tried to calm the situation by ensuring that opposition concerns could still be included. He assured that the ruling party had “no objections” to including relevant suggestions.

One major bone of contention was the purported redaction of minority views from the final report. Asaduddin Owaisi, and other opposition MPs, had a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who ordered the addition of allowable minority notes. Nonetheless, notes seen as casting aspersion on the committee’s operations were said to be excluded, and this prompted further protests.

The bill proposes to introduce important reforms in the Waqf Act of 1995, which has suffered from mismanagement, corruption, and illegal encroachments. Some of the major proposed changes are:

• Digitization of Waqf properties to make it transparent
• Increased audit mechanisms to improve financial checks
• Legal frameworks to recover illegally occupied properties
• Better accountability and governance structures for Waqf boards

Even with these suggested enhancements, the opposition is still critical, accusing the bill of being an outright instrument of government intervention instead of a mechanism for safeguarding Waqf assets.

Now with the Lok Sabha adjourned until March 10, the Waqf Amendment Bill debate is very much alive. The opposition has pledged to persist with its resistance, asking for reconsideration of the JPC report prior to the bill’s final passage. Meanwhile, the government insists that the bill is necessary in order to effectively manage and safeguard Waqf properties.

As Parliament returns next month, everyone will be watching how both sides will steer through the controversy and if any changes will be introduced to respond to the opposition’s issue.