Dissent Ignored: TMC MPs Protest Exclusion from Waqf Amendment Bill Report

TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque have alleged exclusion of dissent notes from the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The report, tabled amid opposition uproar, has been criticized for constitutional negligence and politicization of amendments aimed at regulating Waqf properties.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs are raising concerns over the exclusion of dissent notes from the Joint Parliamentary Committee's (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. According to TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, these notes were unjustly omitted, violating established rules that only inappropriate remarks can be struck from a report. This omission, Banerjee argues, overlooks critical evidence.

The JPC report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha by BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni, amidst opposition chaos. Opposition leaders slammed the report, asserting it neglects constitutional standards and politicizes existing Waqf management issues. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi criticized the amendments, arguing they deviate from refining the Waqf Act and instead introduce political motives.

Chairman of the JPC, Jagadambika Pal, defended the report, stating it incorporates extensive consultations and offers 25 amendments aimed at curbing Waqf-related corruption and enhancing transparency. Despite this defense, the report's unveiling has triggered significant parliamentary discord, reflecting deep divides over the proposed Waqf reforms and their implications for property management.

(With inputs from agencies.)