Lucknow. A big meeting of the Parliamentary Joint Committee was held in Lucknow on Tuesday regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill. In the meeting, Agriculture Production Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of Minority Welfare Department, Monica Garg, presented the government’s side on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government. According to sources, in the meeting Monica Garg told the committee that there is a total of 14 thousand hectares of Waqf land in UP, out of which about 11 thousand hectares (78 percent) is government land. He also said that Bada Imambara, Chhota Imambara of Lucknow and the tomb of Bahu-Begum located in Ayodhya are also the property of the government.
Shia Waqf Board and members expressed protest
This statement of Garg was opposed by Shia Waqf Board and many other members in the meeting. The committee will discuss the Waqf Amendment Bill clause by clause on January 24 and 25. This process is being done to finalize the report.
Report will be presented in the budget session
The report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee is likely to be presented during the budget session of Parliament. The committee, headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, has completed the consultation process with stakeholders from across the country and is now moving towards finalizing the draft of the report. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has given the tenure of the committee till the last day of the budget session. The budget session will run from January 31 to April 4, with a few days’ break in between.
BJP in majority on the bill
In the meeting, opposition MPs opposed the bill and asked for an amendment proposal. However, due to BJP and its allies having majority in the committee, the chances of these proposals being accepted are less. According to official sources, the draft report will be prepared on the basis of clause-by-clause consideration and will be shared with the legislative department. Now the members will present their amendment proposals, which will be voted on. The final report will be presented before Parliament in the budget session. The heated debate between the government and the opposition regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill is expected to continue.
