The Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, accepting 14 of 23 proposed changes from a joint parliamentary committee (JPC). The amended bill is expected to be presented when the House reconvenes on March 10. The JPC’s report faced controversy, including allegations from opposition MPs that their dissent notes were removed. Key changes include requiring waqf councils to include at least two non-Muslim members and directing a state-nominated officer to determine waqf property. Critics argue that the amendments infringe on religious freedoms, while the government claims they empower Muslim women and children.
Sources informed NDTV on Thursday morning that the Union Cabinet has greenlit modifications to the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill. In a meeting held last week, the Cabinet approved 14 out of the 23 amendments suggested by a joint parliamentary committee, which had been tasked with reviewing the bill in August.
The revised bill is expected to be presented when the House reconvenes on March 10.
On February 13, the JPC submitted its report, which also became a topic of controversy when opposition MPs on the panel claimed that some sections of their dissenting notes had disappeared from the final document.
The central government denied these accusations but stated that the chairperson of the JPC, Jagadambika Pal from the ruling BJP, had the authority to remove sections that cast ‘aspersions’ on the committee. After discussions involving Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and the opposition MPs who were protesting, it was decided that the dissent notes would be included in their complete form.
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The submission of the JPC’s report followed a protracted dispute between the opposition and the BJP regarding the committee’s operations, with Mr. Pal facing accusations of bias and pushing the bill without adequate consultation.
Opposition MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing Mr. Pal of attempting to “steamroll” the Waqf Bill through the House while keeping an eye on the February 5 Delhi election, which the BJP won.
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However, the BJP refuted these allegations; panel member and Lok Sabha MP Aparajita Sarangi stated that Mr. Pal “attempted to listen to everyone and allowed sufficient time for all to propose amendments…”
The JPC conducted nearly three dozen hearings over the last six months, though many ended in disarray, and at least one resulted in physical violence when Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass bottle on the table, claiming provocation from BJP’s Abhijit Gangopadhyay.
Ultimately, 66 amendments were proposed, with all 44 from the opposition being rejected, sparking further conflict. The 23 proposed by the BJP and its allies were accepted, and after a vote, 14 were approved.
The JPC comprised 16 MPs from the BJP and allied parties and only 10 from the opposition.
JPC Changes To Waqf Bill
These 14 modifications include clarifying the requirement for two non-Muslim members— as specified in the original bill— and nominated ex-officio members (whether Muslim or non-Muslim).
As a result, waqf councils, both at state and national levels, will have at least two, and possibly more (if the nominated ex-officio members are also non-Muslim) members who are not from the Islamic faith.
READ | Rules On 2 Non-Muslims Among 14 Changes To Waqf Bill
Another significant alteration is that an officer designated by the relevant state will now determine whether a property qualifies as ‘waqf’. This responsibility was previously assigned to the District Collector in the original draft.
Additionally, a third change stipulates that the law will not have retroactive effects, provided the property in question is already registered. Congress leader and JPC member Imran Masood raised concerns, indicating that around 90 percent of waqf properties are currently unregistered.
What Waqf Bill Had Said
The draft bill contained 44 proposed changes; these were related to regulations governing central and state Waqf boards, which oversee the management of Muslim charitable properties in India.
These proposals— which include the appointment of non-Muslim and (at least two) women members to every Waqf Board, alongside a Union Minister, three MPs, and four individuals of ‘national repute’ to the central Waqf Council— incited vehement protests from the opposition.
NDTV Explains | Women, Non-Muslims, Council Can’t Claim Land: Waqf Changes
Another suggested change was to limit donations from Muslims who must have been practicing for at least five years, a provision that sparked a debate over the term ‘practicing Muslim’.
A further modification entails appointing an officer designated by the concerned state to ascertain whether a property is ‘waqf’. This responsibility was initially assigned to the District Collector in the original draft.
Moreover, the new regulations prevent the Waqf Council from claiming land.
Government vs Opposition On Waqf Bill
Sources informed NDTV last year that the objective is to empower Muslim women and children who have “suffered” under the old law. However, critics, including opposition figures like Congress’ KC Venugopal, have argued that this constitutes a “direct attack on freedom of religion.”
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, a leading critic of the bill, along with DMK’s Kanimozhi, has also voiced objections, arguing that it violates several sections of the Constitution, including Article 15 (the right to practice one’s religion) and Article 30 (the right of minority communities to establish and administer their educational institutions).
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