After opposition protest, Waqf JPC to hear Delhi govt representative

New Delhi: Amid protests by opposition members over the presentation by a Delhi Waqf Board official, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill , 2024, on Tuesday agreed to hear Delhi govt’s representative, most likely the minister in-charge of minority affairs, next month.

AAP’s Sanjay Singh , a member of the JPC, had contended Monday that the report submitted by Delhi Waqf Board administrator Ashwini Kumar was not approved by CM Atishi.

On Tuesday, the squabble over the presentation continued. However, Kumar was asked to present the board’s views after Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh opined that he could submit his views before the panel. Sources said JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal, a BJP member, agreed to hear Delhi govt’s views later. This came after an hour-long protest by opposition members Sanjay Singh, Mohamed Abdulla (DMK) and Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) over Kumar’s presentation. The three members trooped to the centre of the hall and raised slogans.

The opposition also questioned the appointment of a non-Muslim as Delhi Waqf Board administrator, contending that the law did not permit it. Sources said BJP member Nishikant Dubey countered this by saying non-Muslims were appointed to the post earlier as well. He cited the example of A Anbarasu, who was appointed Delhi Waqf Board head by Arvind Kejriwal when he was CM.

Kumar’s report submitted to the JPC on Saturday is learnt to have supported the proposed amendments such as appointment of non-Muslims as CEO of the board to restricting the powers of tribunals by remove the provision that its “decision is final”.

Meanwhile, TMC member Kalyan Banerjee, suspended from the JPC for one day for unruly behaviour last week, was present on Tuesday for a brief period.