The Shiite Personal Law Council is “not prepared” for the Waqf JPC meeting, even as the ruling party MP claims “appeasement” from the former governments

Last update:December 18, 2024, 11:14 p.m. IST

Those who were aware of the developments said officials of the All India Shia Personal Law Board argued that they were informed about the meeting at very short notice and hence they did not were not fully prepared.

Representatives of the All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) on Wednesday submitted 13 points of objection to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill that the government proposes to be passed in Parliament to amend the existing law. However, sources said the officials who were deposed could not express their arguments with clarity.

Ruling party MPs questioned the officials’ objections, but they were unable to answer questions posed by MPs. Sources said AISPLB officials informed the panel that they would answer questions later.

“Officials were extremely confused and were not even able to present solid grounds for objecting to certain provisions of the bill,” a committee member told CNN-News18.

Those who were aware of the developments said AISPLB officials claimed they were informed of the meeting at short notice and were therefore not fully prepared. The JPC chairman informed the officials that they should be prepared to appear before the committee again if necessary or submit answers to questions in writing.

Sources said that during the meeting, while AISPLB leaders claimed that the bill was against the Muslim community, an MP from the ruling party retorted, saying that whatever the governments of the past had done was “appeasement”. He added that opposition political parties were using the Muslim community only as a vote bank. He added that for the first time, the government of the day thought about the welfare of the Muslim community and the empowerment of its poor and citizens. women.

Several opposition members objected to the ruling party MP’s remarks, saying he went against the mandate of the meeting and was trying to make it a political issue. The president intervened to end the brief argument.

After the meeting ended, JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal told the media: “Officials of the Shia Personal Council appeared before the panel. They made 13 objections to the bill in its current form. The commission will review their observations and, if necessary, ask them to appear before the panel again. »

This JPC, which received the bill in August this year, was expected to submit its report to Parliament during the current winter session. However, the Lok Sabha Speaker allowed its extension till the last day of the next Budget session of Parliament.