"Extremely unfortunate": BJP's Aparajita Sarangi slams opposition MPs for boycotting JPC tour

Kamrup (Assam) [India], November 9 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Aparajita Sarangi, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 on Saturday slammed opposition MPs for boycotting the Joint Parliamentary Committee's (JPC) tour and terming it "extremely unfortunate."
Speaking to ANI, Sarangi said, "It's extremely unfortunate that the members of the committee belonging to the opposition parties have decided not to come on study tour, not to come to Guwahati, not to join the hearing of the joint parliamentary committee in other states where we are going to. we have started our hearing from Guwahati."
She added the JPC will go to Bhubaneswar on Sunday as part of their tour.
"Tomorrow we would be in Bhubaneswar. Thereafter we are going to Kolkata, Patna and Lucknow. So it's a five-day tour and we want to listen to all individuals and organizations who wish to depose before the Joint Parliamentary Committee regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024," she said.
She stated that the JPC chairperson has permitted all committee members to express their opinions, whether in favor or against.
"The chairperson has been extremely democratic in his approach towards handling things. He has given the opportunity to all the members of the committee to put forth their views, whether for or against. We are very sad that press conferences are being held with such kind of false allegations against the chairperson's behaviour," she said.
Earlier today, Jagdambika Pal, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, chaired a meeting regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Guwahati, Assam. Representatives from the Assam government, the state waqf board, the state minority commission, High Court lawyers, and other stakeholders participated in the discussion.
The meeting is part of the JPC's study tour in five cities namely Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow from November 9 to November 14 to examine the bill.
The JPC committee is expected to present its report on the bill to the House by the end of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament, which runs from November 25 to December 20.
The JPC's efforts are part of a larger national initiative to reform the Waqf Act and ensure that waqf properties are used for the greater good of the community.
Earlier in November, chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee Jagdambika Pal said that JPC on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 has held 25 meetings so far since August 22, this year. The JPC reviewed the work of six ministries and heard from 123 stakeholders, including representatives from six states, eight Waqf boards and four minority commissions.
"I held the first meeting on August 22. Since then, 25 meetings have been conducted. During these meetings, we examined six ministries and engaged with 37 stakeholders, including Islamic and minority organisations. Approximately 123 stakeholders have appeared before the committee. Among them were three MPs, three MLAs, MLCs, and a Minister of State from Gujarat. Additionally, representatives from six states, eight Waqf Boards, and four Minority Commissions have appeared," Pal said earlier.
The Waqf Act 1995, was originally established to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced criticism over issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha this August, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.