JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal Discusses Waqf Amendment Bill in Ahmedabad
On Friday, JPC Chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal held detailed discussions in Ahmedabad as part of a nationwide consultation exercise on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. The meeting included Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi, Waqf board officers, minority commission officials, and Islamic scholars.
Pal stated, “Detailed discussions took place regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill. Yesterday we were in Mumbai, and today we are in Ahmedabad. We listened to their views and suggestions, and our committee will ponder them.”
The Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a JPC after a heated debate. Harsh Sanghvi briefed the JPC on the Gujarat government’s concerns, emphasizing that the amendments aim to benefit all citizens. He said, “The Bhupendra Patel government will present its points firmly. This is an appreciable step by the central government, welcomed by states and citizens alike.”
The JPC is holding a series of informal discussions with various stakeholders until October 1 to refine the proposed amendments. The Waqf Act, 1995, which governs over 600,000 registered waqf properties, has faced allegations of mismanagement and corruption. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to introduce digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
Doubts Revealed
JPC -: JPC stands for Joint Parliamentary Committee. It’s a group of members from both houses of Parliament who come together to discuss and review specific issues or bills.
Jagdambika Pal -: Jagdambika Pal is a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is also the Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
Waqf Amendment Bill -: The Waqf Amendment Bill is a proposed law that aims to make changes to how waqf properties are managed. Waqf properties are lands or buildings given for religious or charitable purposes in Islam.
Ahmedabad -: Ahmedabad is a big city in the state of Gujarat, India. It is known for its rich history and culture.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
MP -: MP stands for Member of Parliament. An MP is a person who has been elected to represent the people in the Parliament.
Gujarat Home Minister -: The Gujarat Home Minister is a government official responsible for maintaining law and order in the state of Gujarat. Harsh Sanghvi is the current Home Minister of Gujarat.
Waqf board officers -: Waqf board officers are people who work for the Waqf Board, which manages waqf properties. They ensure that these properties are used for the purposes they were intended for.
Islamic scholars -: Islamic scholars are experts in Islamic studies. They have deep knowledge about the religion of Islam and its teachings.
Lok Sabha -: Lok Sabha is the lower house of India’s Parliament. It is where elected representatives discuss and pass laws.
Digitisation -: Digitisation means converting information into a digital format. In this context, it means making records of waqf properties available online.
Stricter audits -: Stricter audits mean more thorough checks and reviews of financial records. This helps ensure that money and resources are used properly.
Stakeholders -: Stakeholders are people or groups who have an interest in a particular issue or project. In this case, they are people involved in or affected by the Waqf Amendment Bill.
