Censorship Claims Shadow Waqf Bill Report in Parliamentary Showdown

TMC MP Sushmita Dev accuses censorship in the Joint Parliamentary Committee's report on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, sparking uproar in Parliament. Amidst protests, BJP MPs defend the report, crafted after extensive consultations. The opposition decries the expunction of dissenting opinions, highlighting concerns over democratic processes.

Tensions erupted in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday as Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sushmita Dev denounced the alleged censorship of a dissent note in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024. Dev criticized the suppression, describing the move as a democratic lapse, insisting that all opinions should be transparently presented.

Following the report's tabling by BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni, opposition members orchestrated a noisy protest, culminating in a session adjournment. Jagadambika Pal, JPC Chairman, defended the report, noting it was the result of extensive nationwide consultations and included 25 amendments across 14 clauses.

Despite claims of thoroughness, lawmakers Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque argued that pivotal dissent points were omitted. They described the final report as biased, overlooking crucial stakeholder feedback on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, aimed at reforming the long-criticized 1995 Waqf Act.