New Delhi (India), February 13 : As the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is tabled in the Parliament, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi expressed concerns over the proposed amendments, calling them politically motivated.
Speaking to ANI, Gogoi said, “Instead of focusing on the already existing Waqf Act, an attempt is being made to bring in an amendment that is politically motivated.” He added that several members of Parliament had expressed dissent regarding the report, particularly highlighting the constitutional negligence they believed the bill would cause.
“We have an existing act that manages Waqf properties, and rather than working on improving its implementation, the government is introducing an amendment without proper preparation,” Gogoi stated.
Congress MP KC Venugopal also criticized the government, saying that the JPC’s handling of the matter was “wrong.” His comments reflect growing concerns within the opposition about the bill’s approach.
Earlier in the day, BJP MP Jagadambika Pal, the Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, confirmed that the report would be presented in Parliament after six months of consultations across the country. Pal highlighted that the JPC had adopted 25 amendments in 14 clauses during its discussions.
Pal addressed concerns from some JPC members who felt their views were not given proper consideration. He assured that their dissenting notes had been included in the appendix of the report, alongside records from relevant stakeholders.
As per the List of Business of Lok Sabha, Jagadambika Pal and BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal will present the JPC report and also lay the record of evidence before the Lok Sabha today. The report was previously submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30, 2025.
This development comes at a time when the opposition continues to raise concerns about the bill’s implications and the government’s handling of the legislative process surrounding the Waqf properties.