Opposition MPs Boycott Meeting on Waqf Amendment Bill
In New Delhi, on October 14, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) boycotted a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) concerning the Waqf Amendment Bill. The MPs were upset with Anwar Manippadi, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, for allegedly making irrelevant allegations against the Karnataka Government and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, which they found unacceptable.
Reasons for Boycott
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant stated that the boycott was due to the committee not adhering to its principles and norms. He emphasized that the committee’s actions were ethically and principally wrong.
Next Steps
The opposition MPs plan to approach the Lok Sabha Speaker to discuss their concerns about the JPC’s handling of the Waqf Bill. Earlier, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain presented their views to the committee.
About the Waqf Amendment Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a JPC after a heated debate. The bill aims to reform the management of over 600,000 registered Waqf properties in India by introducing digitization, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The committee is expected to submit its report by the end of the first week of the next parliament session.
Doubts Revealed
Opposition MPs -: Opposition MPs are members of parliament who belong to political parties that are not in power. They often challenge and question the decisions of the ruling government.
Boycott -: To boycott means to refuse to participate in something as a form of protest. In this case, the MPs did not attend the meeting to show their disagreement.
Waqf Amendment Bill -: The Waqf Amendment Bill is a proposed change to the laws governing Waqf properties. Waqf properties are lands or assets donated for religious or charitable purposes in Islam.
Joint Parliamentary Committee -: A Joint Parliamentary Committee is a group of members from both houses of parliament who come together to discuss and review specific issues or bills.
Anwar Manippadi -: Anwar Manippadi is a person who made allegations against the Karnataka Government and Congress President. Allegations are claims that someone has done something wrong.
Mallikarjun Kharge -: Mallikarjun Kharge is a senior leader of the Congress party in India. He has held various important positions in the government and the party.
Shiv Sena -: Shiv Sena is a political party in India, primarily based in the state of Maharashtra. It is known for its regional and nationalist ideologies.
Lok Sabha Speaker -: The Lok Sabha Speaker is the person who presides over the meetings of the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of India’s Parliament. The Speaker ensures that the debates and discussions are conducted in an orderly manner.
