Ten opposition members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill were suspended for a day on Friday, following allegations of misconduct during a meeting. The suspended MPs accused the panel’s chairperson, BJP leader Jagdambika Pal, of acting unilaterally and humiliating them.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the opposition MPs claimed Pal ignored their concerns and abruptly suspended them after a phone call with an unidentified individual. They criticized Pal for rushing through the proceedings without proper deliberation, stating that the Waqf Amendment Bill required comprehensive study and transparent handling.
The MPs alleged that the JPC chairman lacked the authority to suspend them and demanded that the panel’s proceedings be conducted fairly. They also requested the postponement of the January 27 meeting, citing prior commitments in their constituencies.
Suspended MPs:
The suspension motion, moved by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, was adopted by the committee. The suspended members include:
Trinamool Congress: Kalyan Banerjee, Nadeem-ul Haque
Congress: Mohammad Jawed, Imran Masood, Syed Naseer Hussain
DMK: A Raja, Mohamed Abdullah
AIMIM: Asaduddin Owaisi
SP: Mohibullah
Shiv Sena-UBT: Arvind Sawant
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in August 2024, aims to address challenges in regulating Waqf properties. However, the opposition has raised concerns about the lack of transparency and due process in its handling.
Chairman Responds:
Chairman Jagdambika Pal denied the allegations and accused Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee of using abusive language during the meeting. Despite the disruptions, the JPC is set to continue its deliberations on the bill.
