Opposition, Muslim groups plan to create confusion on Waqf Bill: JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal

The chairman of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on waqf bill, BJP's Jagdambika Pal, said the intention of some of Muslim organisations and the Opposition was to just create confusion.

"AIMPLB is spreading rumours even before seeing the bill," Pal told ET, referring to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. He said the government wanted to hold a wider consultation on the bill and that was why the parliamentary affairs minister had requested the Lok Sabha speaker to refer the bill to JPC.

"The JPC did its exercise thoroughly. During the last six months we held talks with several stakeholders and visited several states such as Assam, West Bengal, UP, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and others. We met all the state officials, minority commissions, Shia Waqf Board, Sunni Waqf Board, to name a few," Pal said. "We invited AIMPLB also and we have incorporated their views in the report. Our report has several dissent notes from the Opposition parties. I have submitted my report."


He said JPC added 15 amendments after the deliberations, increasing the count from 44. "The bill is yet to be presented on the floor of the House. Then why is the AIMPLB doing dharna on Jantar Mantar and on March 26 they are going to Patna. It means it is designed purposely that they want to create confusion and fear among the community," Pal said. "The Opposition is just engaged in appeasement politics. It is unconstitutional. AIMPLB is threatening that they will boycott Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. Let the amended bill come to the floor of the House and then only you will get to know what's there in the bill."