NEW DELHI: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the Lok Sabha, has been referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) as of Thursday, August 8, 2024. Opposition parties strongly opposed the Bill, accusing it of targeting the Muslim community and calling the proposed amendments an attack on the Constitution, interference in religious matters, and against federalism.

Although the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, including the Janata Dal (United), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), supported the Bill in the interest of transparency and reform, some expressed reservations. TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi suggested the Bill could be sent to a select committee to "remove misconceptions," while JD(U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh argued that the Opposition was conflating the roles of institutions like Waqf Boards with religious sites like mosques.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 aims to bring significant changes to the 1995 law governing Waqf Boards. The Bill proposes the addition of two Muslim women and two non-Muslim members to each Board and introduces a new section to prevent the wrongful declaration of property as "Waqf." It also designates the District Collector as the decision-maker regarding whether a property is Waqf or government land, a role currently held by the Waqf tribunal under the 1995 Act.

The Lok Sabha engaged in a two-hour debate before deciding to refer the Bill to a JPC. Speaker Om Birla announced that he would form the joint panel after consulting with party leaders. During the debate, senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal described the Bill as "draconian," alleging that it was introduced with an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.

In defense of the Bill, Rijiju stated that it was merely implementing reforms recommended by committees established by the previous Congress government, and that it did not infringe on any rights or religious freedoms. He added that some Waqf Boards had been captured by certain individuals, and the Bill aimed to provide justice to ordinary Muslims. Rijiju also claimed that some Opposition leaders had privately acknowledged that State Waqf Boards had turned into mafias.

A verbal exchange occurred between Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav during the Bill's introduction. Yadav accused the government of trying to curtail the Speaker's powers, vowing that the Opposition would fight for the Chair. Shah objected, stating that the Speaker's rights belong to the entire House, not just the Opposition, and criticized Yadav for speaking in a roundabout way.