The JPC submitted its report on February 13, but controversy erupted after opposition MPs alleged that parts of their dissent notes had been removed.
The Union Cabinet has approved 14 out of 23 proposed changes to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, sources told NDTV on Thursday. The amendments, recommended by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), follow months of political clashes over the bill’s provisions.
The revised bill is now expected to be tabled when the Parliament reconvenes on March 10.
Opposition Allegations and JPC Controversy
The JPC submitted its report on February 13, but controversy erupted after opposition MPs alleged that parts of their dissent notes had been removed. The government denied these claims, stating that JPC Chairman Jagadambika Pal, from the ruling BJP, had the discretion to exclude sections that cast aspersions on the committee.
However, after a meeting between Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and opposition MPs, it was agreed that the full dissent notes would be included.
The opposition had earlier accused Pal of rushing the bill without proper consultation, allegedly to benefit the BJP in the February 5 Delhi elections. The BJP denied these accusations, with panel member Aparajita Sarangi stating that Pal “tried to hear everybody out and gave sufficient time for everybody to move amendments.”
Heated Debates and Rejected Proposals
The JPC held nearly three dozen hearings over six months, but many ended in chaos. In one session, Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass bottle on the table after an alleged provocation by BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay.
Ultimately, all 44 opposition-proposed amendments were rejected, while 23 from BJP and allied parties were accepted, with 14 clearing the final vote.
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