Amid Controversy, Waqf Bill Sparks Political Friction

National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq critiques the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for its exclusion of minority perspectives and property management concerns. Congress MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain adds criticism of the Joint Parliamentary Committee's handling of the bill, highlighting procedural lapses and insufficient review time, sparking dissent among opposition MPs.

In a heated response, National Conference leader and J&K MLA Tanvir Sadiq has voiced strong opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Sadiq criticized the bill for neglecting minority voices and raised alarms over its potential impact on property management across over 400,000 properties. He accused the bill of lacking proper minority representation and claimed, 'The reservations for the minorities have not been taken into consideration.' Sadiq expressed concern that the bill could empower government officials to arbitrarily decide Waqf property status.

Adding to the backlash, Congress MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) member Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain condemned the JPC's process in handling the Waqf Bill. Hussain charged the committee with bias and procedural failures that could have ensured a thorough examination of the bill. He highlighted that there was an absence of the necessary clause-by-clause discussion before amendments, compromising the report's integrity. Furthermore, the JPC report was circulated merely a day prior to its adoption, providing inadequate time for comprehensive analysis.

This mishandling has prompted several opposition MPs, including Gaurav Gogoi from Congress and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, to submit formal dissent notes. The culmination of these events was the adoption of the draft report and the revised bill by the JPC, with the final report submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30.

(With inputs from agencies.)