AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Board Amendment Bill, has rejected the proposed amendments, calling them undemocratic and harmful to the Muslim community.
At a press conference with opposition leaders, Owaisi said, “The Modi government’s amendments are not meant to safeguard Waqf properties but to demolish them and reward encroachers. This is an attempt to impose Hindutva ideology over the Waqf board.”
Owaisi also accused JPC Chairman Jagadambika Pal of unfair conduct during the committee’s discussions. He alleged that Pal acted in a biased manner, blocking opposition members from presenting their amendments.
“Jagadambika Pal was not just the mover of the bill but also opposed my amendment. He played all roles—mover, opposer, and decision-maker. This is a mockery of democracy,” Owaisi said.
The AIMIM leader expressed frustration over the lack of time given to review the draft report. “We have just one day to read a report that’s over 500 pages long. How can we study it and present objections by tomorrow?” he asked.
Opposition MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), A. Raja (DMK), and Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena UBT), released a joint statement accusing the JPC chairman of ignoring parliamentary rules. They claimed that Pal rushed through the proceedings without allowing proper discussion.
“The chairman himself moved our amendments, conducted headcounts on his own terms, and rejected them. This defeats our efforts to protect the constitutional rights of minorities,” the statement read.
The MPs criticized the government’s approach, saying it undermines secular values. “This is an attempt to paint the nation with saffron by using the BJP’s majority in Parliament,” the opposition leaders said.
The opposition members urged citizens to defend the constitutional rights of minorities and uphold secular values. “We appeal to all Indians to stand by the principles of Gandhi, Nehru, and Ambedkar to ensure social harmony and protect minority rights,” they said.
