A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), constituted to discuss the amendments to the Waqf Amendment Bill, cleared on Monday, January 27; the bill with 14 changes to the draft that was tabled in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session of parliament last year.
44 amendments proposed by the opposition MPs were rejected by the committee led by BJP's Jagadambika Pal. Earlier on January 24, several of the opposition MPs were suspended for 10 days for the misconduct. The opposition MPs alleged that the ruling party MPs are making the amendments as per their will, and the opposition is not getting enough space for the amendments to the proposed bill.
The JPC had been asked to submit its report by November 29 but that deadline has since been extended - to the final day of Parliament's Budget Session, which ends February 13. The committee set up to study the amendments has had several hearings but many have ended in chaos after opposition MPs accused the Chair of bias towards the ruling party.
JPC Chairman BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said, "44 amendments were discussed. After detailed discussions over the course of 6 months, we sought amendments from all members. This was our final meeting... So, 14 amendments have been accepted by the committee on the basis of a majority. Opposition too had suggested amendments. We moved each and every of those amendments & it was put to vote but there were 10 votes supporting theirs (suggested amendments) and 16 votes opposing it..."
Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske said, "It is very sad. Shiv Sena founder Bala Saheb Thackeray talked about scrapping the Waqf Board but his (Uddhav Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant opposed the amendment bill in the Parliament. What was the reason for this? Was this for Hindutva or to get Muslim votes?"