Synopsis
On January 24, ten suspended Opposition MPs from a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting concerning the Waqf Amendment Bill wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, calling for transparent and fair proceedings in the panel, emphasizing the need for adequate time to prepare their responses.Key Takeaways
- Ten Opposition MPs were suspended from the JPC.
- They requested transparent proceedings from the JPC Chairman.
- Concern over the speed of the legislative process.
- The amendments affect large Waqf land holdings.
- Previous discussions were disrupted due to heated arguments.
New Delhi, Jan 24 (NationPress) A total of ten Opposition MPs, who faced suspension for the day from a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, addressed a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday, urging for transparent proceedings without undue haste in the committee.
In addition to contesting the authority of JPC Chief Jagdambika Pal to suspend them, the MPs emphasized the need for sufficient time to formulate their responses concerning the proposals being deliberated.
“The Chairman of the JPC should be directed to carry out the proceedings in a transparent and equitable manner. We urge the Chairman to delay the 27th meeting to allow the Opposition members adequate time and opportunity to present our arguments and claims without deviating from established rules and procedures, thereby upholding the Parliamentary democracy that the Nation continues to trust,” stated the letter signed by the ten MPs.
The MPs who signed the letter include Kalyan Banerjee, Mohammad Jawed, A. Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M. Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haque, and Imran Masood.
Requesting ample time to express their perspectives, the MPs remarked, “Accelerating the JPC proceedings without thorough consideration by the Chairman is merely a conundrum shrouded in hidden malice.”
They accused the government of attempting to suppress debate, arguing that extended time is essential for discussions, as the amendments proposed in the Bill are intricately linked to the vast land holdings of Waqf Boards nationwide and also pertain to judicial decisions from the High Courts and the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the JPC meeting descended into chaos as opposition MPs were suspended for the entire day after a heated exchange. This disruption occurred during talks on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
The Opposition MPs asserted that they were not allotted sufficient time to analyze the draft presented for discussion.
Chaired by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal, the panel meeting was originally intended to hear a delegation led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from Kashmir.
However, prior to the proceedings, the meeting was interrupted by opposition MPs voicing concerns over “the rapid pace at which the government aimed to pass the bill,” particularly in light of the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
As the disruption intensified, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey proposed the suspension of ten opposition MPs for the day, a proposal that the panel subsequently approved.
