Third JPC meeting on Waqf Amendment Bill underway

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) The Joint Parliamentary Committee, constituted to deliberate the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, began its third meeting on Thursday in the Parliament premises, with presentations from various Union Ministries on the agenda.

Interacting with the media before the meeting, JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal said: "Representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Ministry of Railways, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have been called to present their respective presentations on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in today's meeting."

"These representatives will provide oral evidence on the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024," he added.

The Chairman further stated that JPC has been formed to consult all stakeholders regarding the bill, and many stakeholders have already been consulted in previous meetings. The JPC aims to engage in discussions with all those involved in the bill. Additionally, the committee plans to visit various states outside Delhi to engage with stakeholders.

Since the government has referred this bill to the JPC, the objective is to draft a bill that fulfils the purposes of the waqf while benefiting the poor, women, and children in the areas of health and education, he said.

The fourth JPC meeting is scheduled for Friday, and will be officials from the Archaeological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, present their views on the Waqf Bill. Muslim organisations like the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board have also been invited to attend the meeting.

The first JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill was held on August 22, and the second on August 30, and both reportedly witnessed confrontations as BJP and opposition party MPs engaged in heated arguments. According to sources, the BJP parliamentarians were frequently interrupted by Opposition MPs during the discussions.