Members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 have submitted a letter to Hon’ble Chairman Om Birla, urging him to ensure that the JPC Chairman conducts the proceedings in a transparent and impartial manner. The letter said that when the meeting started at 11 am today, we the opposition members raised our voice with full respect against the manner in which the Chairman was conducting his business. We highlighted the one-sided and unfair manner of functioning of the JPC by ignoring the due process contemplated in the rules.
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The opposition MPs claimed that it is respectfully submitted that since the notice was given for the meeting scheduled on 24th and 25th, we the members met in the constituencies/states from 27th to 30th due to the commencement of the Parliament session on 31st. prepared their programs and thus prayed for adjournment of the 27th meeting. While we put these legitimate claims before the Speaker in a civil manner, he did not even attempt to respond. As we all felt insulted, we stood up and raised our voices democratically to make our demands heard. Meanwhile the Chairman spoke to someone on the phone and suddenly and surprisingly with a shout he ordered our suspension.
The letter reads that there is an essential need for a comprehensive study by the JPC to address these issues raised by the stakeholders in a holistic manner. Under these circumstances, the Speaker rushing into the JPC proceedings without thinking is nothing but a riddle full of hidden ill intentions. We are of the opinion that the JPC Chairman does not have the power to suspend committee members. It is, therefore, prayed that the Chairman of the JPC may be directed to conduct the proceedings in a transparent and impartial manner. The Chairman should adjourn the 27th meeting so that the opposition members get adequate time and opportunity to put forward our arguments/claims without deviating from the rules and procedure to ensure the democracy of Parliament in which the nation still has faith. .
At the same time, Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood said that constitutional traditions are not being followed. The Waqf Amendment Bill is not to save Waqf but to destroy it. They are introducing the bill as per their political agenda. Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur Mohibbullah Nadvi said that it is unfortunate that the BJP is trying to destroy our concept of Waqf, the religious matter of Muslims. It seems as if this is the end of democratic values and we are not following the Constitution. The equality enshrined in the Preamble of our Constitution is being destroyed.
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Waqf Bill JPC member and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said what will the Speaker do? The whole show is being run by two people. People who are sitting everywhere have no power to do anything. DMK MP A Raja said that we want to put everything on record and in the mind of the country. People should know how the parliamentary system is working in this country under the rule of PM Modi.