Opposition members on Thursday demanded an extension of the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, arguing that more time was needed to study the draft legislation.
During a meeting of the committee, Chairman and BJP member Jagdambika Pal announced that Thursday's meeting would be the final sitting of the panel and a draft report would be circulated to the members shortly.
This led to protests by opposition members, some of whom resorted to sloganeering and called Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for intervention. Previously, opposition members accused Pal of favouring the government and had threatened to disassociate from the panel's work.
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The committee is scheduled to submit its report during the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament, which begins Monday. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is listed for consideration after the report is presented.
Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) announced that its annual general session would be held on November 23 and 24 at the Darul Uloom Sabeel-ur-Rashad seminary in Karnataka.
The AIMPLB is running a campaign against the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it "harmful in its contents".
The session will focus on strategies for protecting 'Waqf' properties, with consultations among members and special invitees. A public meeting on "Protection of Shariat and Protection of Awqaf" will also be held at Eidgah Quddus Saheb during the event.
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According to the Board, 3.75 lakh emails have been sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee opposing the Bill. It says that all Muslim organisations have unanimously decided to reject the Bill.
During the sessions, the AIMPLB will also elect new members and fill vacancies. Leaders from various schools of thought are expected to address the gathering.
The proposed bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a joint committee of Parliament after a heated debate, with the government saying that the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the opposition calling it a targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.
(With agency inputs)
