On Monday, a special group of lawmakers called the Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. They accepted all changes suggested by the ruling party, the BJP-led NDA, but turned down every change proposed by the opposition. Committee chairman Jagdambika Pal spoke to reporters after the meeting, saying the accepted changes will make the law better and more effective. However, opposition members complained about the meeting, claiming it was unfair. TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said they felt ignored and accused Pal of being bossy. Pal defended the meeting, stating it was fair and that the majority’s opinion counted.
One important change in the proposed law is that Waqf properties can’t be questioned if they are being used for religious purposes. Pal noted that 14 amendments suggested by NDA members passed, while opposition members had hundreds of amendments across 44 clauses, all of which were rejected after voting.
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