Waqf Amendment Bill: Opposition members walk out of panel meeting protesting changes made by board

Several opposition members on Monday staged a walked out from the Waqf Bill meeting chaired by joint parliamentary committee chairman BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, protesting against the presentation made by the Delhi Waqf board. Opposition members claimed that the Delhi Waqf Board administrator, who had appeared before the Committee, made changes to the presentation without the knowledge of the Delhi government.

AAP member Sanjay Singh, the DMK's Mohammed Abdulla, the Congress' Naseer Hussain and Mohamed Jawed among others walked out of the meeting. The opposition MPs alleged that the commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Waqf Board CEO, Ashwini Kumar, completely altered the initial report of the Waqf Board and further alleged that the Chief Minister's approval in the matter was not sought. Opposition MPs later returned and joined the meeting of the JPC.

On Monday, the committee had called representatives of the Delhi Waqf Board, Haryana Waqf Board, Punjab Waqf Board and Uttarakhand Waqf Board to record their oral evidence on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

The committee has also called Call for Justice (Group led by Chander Wadhwa, Trustee), Waqf Tenant Welfare Association, Delhi and Harbans Dunkall, President, Residents Welfare Association (All Blocks), BK Dutt Colony, New Delhi to record their views and suggestions. The committee will also meet on October 29. In this meeting, the committee will record oral evidence of the representatives of the Ministry of Minority Affairs on the 'Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024'.

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)