Eknath Shinde criticized the stand of opposition MPs in JPC on Waqf Bill

Mumbai: On Thursday, Eknath Shinde, the top leader of the Shiv Sena and the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, criticized opposition MPs for opposing the Waqf Bill at the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it an example of “double standards.”

Shinde said that his administration is dedicated to maintaining and carrying on Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.

“This is a case of double standards. Our goal is to continue Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy and role. We’re trying to keep it intact by moving ahead. People have indicated a space in the polls for those who play various roles,” Shinde told the media report.

This follows the submission of dissenting remarks by a number of the panel’s opposition members to be included in the report, which will be presented to Parliament during the next budget session.

In addition to the members who submitted joint dissent notes, such as Kalyan Banerjee and Nadimul Haque of the TMC, A Raja and M M Abdulla of the DMK, and Syed Naseer Hussain, Dr. Mohammad Jawed, and Imran Masood of the Congress, these 11 opposition MPs included Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress party and Asaduddin Owaisi, the head of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

The draft report and the updated bill were approved by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, came to a close, and on January 30, the bill’s final report was sent to the speaker.

JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal praised the committee members for their “significant contribution” to the bill’s composition after they turned in their report.

According to Pal, the committee has met with hundreds of delegations from all across the country and had many sessions over the last five months. A report has been produced after extensive discussion and multiple cross-examinations.

Opposition to the administration is ingrained in the opposition, according to BJP MP Dr. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal.

“There were 44 resolutions and discussion and voting on each one of them along with amendments,” Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said earlier on Monday in reference to the JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill. Despite opposing every proposal, the opposition did not obtain a majority of the votes.

“This measure aimed to elevate the status of impoverished Muslims and benefit the country. The opposition engaged in politics and disseminated false allegations that this was anti-Muslim. The Waqf board should be abolished, according to Bala Saheb Thackeray, and his alleged successor, Arvind Sawant, who was Uddhav Thackeray’s right-hand man, opposed all 44 of the bill’s resolutions. I appreciate Sharad Pawar’s support for this law, and we denounce Uddhav Thackeray’s lack of support. Because the Waqf Board claims it as theirs, several government initiatives have been put on hold,” he stated.

On Friday, February 1, the budget session of Parliament will begin. The government will outline its legislative agenda, which includes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, while the opposition parties will focus on problems that are important to them, such as unemployment and price increases.

President Droupadi Murmu will address a combined session of the two Houses to begin the budget session. Prior to the Union Budget’s presentation on Saturday, the Economic Survey will also be presented on Friday.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari criticized the administration for its economic shortcomings after the government called an all-party conference.

Ten MPs from opposing parties were suspended for a day on Friday, January 1, after a commotion during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) hearing on the Waqf (Amendment Bill) 2024.

Kalyan Banerjee, Md. Jawaid, A Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haq, and Imran Masood were among the opposition MPs that were suspended.

The term of the JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has been extended for the winter session of Parliament, and it is anticipated that the committee will provide its findings during the Budget session.

The Union Budget will be presented on February 1st, and the Parliamentary Budget session will begin on January 31 and go until April 4.

The Waqf Act of 1995, which was passed in order to control Waqf holdings, has long been criticized for problems including corruption, poor administration, and encroachments.

By implementing changes including digitization, better audits, more transparency, and legal procedures to recover unlawfully occupied assets, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to solve these issues.