Opposition MPs Protest Against JPC Meeting on Waqf Bill 2024
In New Delhi, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised concerns about the conduct of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. They have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that the meeting, chaired by Jagdambika Pal, violated parliamentary codes and was biased.
Allegations of Bias
The opposition MPs claimed that the Chairperson invited Anwar Manippady to present evidence, which was outside the committee’s scope. Manippady’s presentation allegedly contained politically motivated allegations against Karnataka Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, rather than focusing on the Waqf Bill.
Protests and Walkouts
Despite protests from committee members, Manippady was allowed to speak, leading to a walkout by opposition MPs. They argued that the Chairperson’s actions contradicted parliamentary rules, which prohibit defamatory statements without prior notice.
Call for Intervention
The opposition MPs have requested Speaker Om Birla’s intervention to ensure the committee operates with bipartisanship and upholds democratic values. They expressed concerns about the current partisan environment and the difficulty of continuing work under such conditions.
Meeting Disruptions
The JPC meeting witnessed heated exchanges and was temporarily adjourned. Opposition MPs, including Asaduddin Owaisi and others, staged a walkout but later returned to the meeting.
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 party to ensure a balanced government.
JPC -: JPC stands for Joint Parliamentary Committee. It is a group of members from both houses of parliament who come together to discuss and review specific issues or bills.
Waqf Bill 2024 -: The Waqf Bill 2024 is a proposed law related to Waqf properties, which are charitable endowments in Islam. These properties are used for religious or charitable purposes.
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 rules are followed during discussions.
Anwar Manippady -: Anwar Manippady is a person involved in the discussion of the Waqf Bill. In this context, he made a presentation that some MPs felt was biased.
Karnataka Congress leaders -: Karnataka Congress leaders are politicians from the Congress party who are active in the state of Karnataka. The Congress party is one of the major political parties in India.
Walkout -: A walkout is when members of a group leave a meeting as a form of protest. It shows their disagreement with what is happening in the meeting.
Bipartisanship -: Bipartisanship means cooperation between two major political parties. It is important for making fair decisions that consider different viewpoints.
