Waqf bill row: JPC Chief Jagdambika Pal slams AIMPLB’s protest threat
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New Delhi: Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman Jagdambika Pal on Monday strongly condemned the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for warning of a "Shaheen Bagh-like protest" against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, calling it a divisive move.
The AIMPLB intensified its opposition to the bill, staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where it accused the government of conspiring to seize Waqf properties. The demonstration drew support from eleven opposition parties, including the Congress, with leaders such as AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress’s Salman Khurshid participating.
However, dissent over AIMPLB’s stance has emerged from within the community. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi criticized the board, alleging it was being driven by political interests rather than addressing real concerns of Muslims.
Pal, responding to AIMPLB’s protest call, emphasized that the JPC had engaged extensively with stakeholders before drafting its report. "They have been opposing this bill from the start. Despite that, we invited AIMPLB to present their views before the committee. Owaisi was also a member, and we listened to everyone for hours, recording opinions from different states," Pal told IANS.
AIMPLB member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas had earlier warned that if the bill is implemented, there would be nationwide protests similar to Shaheen Bagh. Notably, Ilyas is the father of former JNU scholar and student activist Umar Khalid, who has been in jail since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 North-East Delhi riots conspiracy case.
Pal denounced such statements, asserting that the bill was drafted through a democratic process after thorough consultations. "We considered every viewpoint before finalizing the report. The law aims to protect Waqf properties from being misused and ensures that the benefits reach poor Muslims, women, and widows. The bill hasn’t even been passed yet, and they are already inciting protests. This is a deliberate attempt to divide people, just like during the Article 370 and Triple Talaq debates," he said.
Highlighting past government decisions, Pal argued that the revocation of Article 370 had led to economic prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, while the abolition of Triple Talaq had empowered Muslim women. "Women in the community are grateful to PM Modi for this historic decision," he added.
Defending the legislative process, Pal stressed that the bill was not rushed through Parliament but referred to th
e JPC to ensure fair deliberations. "The government could have used its majority to pass the bill directly, but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju proposed sending it to the committee so that all concerns, including those raised by protesting groups, were considered."
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to implement reforms such as digitization of records, enhanced audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. While the government insists that these measures will safeguard Waqf assets and benefit marginalized communities, AIMPLB and opposition parties continue to resist the bill, setting the stage for further confrontations.
With IANS inputs