Kharge opposes Waqf JPC report over deletion of dissent notes; Govt says, "Opposition misleading House"

New Delhi [India], February 13 : Congress National President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Thursday opposed the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, alleging that dissent notes from Opposition members were removed.
A major uproar erupted in both houses of the Parliament on Thursday before the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was tabled.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm amid Opposition sloganeering against the report, while the Rajya Sabha also witnessed heated exchanges.
Kharge said that it is not right to remove the dissent notes and views of the Opposition members from the report.
"In the JPC report on the Waqf Board, many members have their dissent report. It is not right to remove those notes and bulldoze our views. This is anti-democratic and condemnable. Stockholders were called from outside and their statements were taken. I condemn any report that has been presented after deleting the dissent reports. We will never accept such fake reports. If the report does not have dissent views, it should be sent back and presented again," Kharge said.
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, hit back at the opposition, calling their protest "irresponsible."
"Inside the Parliament, there are debates and discussions on various issues, and within a democracy, we agree to disagree, but we must respect traditions. While keeping traditions in mind, the proceedings of the house should be conducted under the provisions of the Constitution," he said.
"I regret that despite repeated requests from the Chairman, the opposition's behaviour has been extremely irresponsible, and it deserves all the condemnation it receives," Nadda added.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also warned TMC MPs Samirul Islam, Nadimul Haque, and DMK MP Mohammed Abdullah for disrupting proceedings.
"These three gentlemen have created chaos in the house, disrupted the house and I will be constrained to take an extreme step," Dhankar warned.
Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav defended the JPC, saying that the Chairman of the committee has the authority to remove irrelevant or unparliamentary portions from the report.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also dismissed the Opposition's claims, saying that nothing was deleted from the report.
"There is no deletion or removal of any part of the report. Everything is tabled on the floor of the House. Don't mislead the House. I am very pained to say that the Opposition parties are making unnecessary issues by raising issues without facts. The allegation is false. There was no violation of any rules by the JPC. All the dissent notes are also included in the report. This is very unfortunate," Rijiju said.
TMC MP Saket Gokhale said, "This is not a religious issue but a constitutional one."
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.