New Delhi: There was a heated debate between NDA and opposition MPs in both the Houses of Parliament on Thursday over the report of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Opposition MPs created a ruckus alleging that the objections were not included in the report. Opposition MPs claimed that parts of the dissent note have been removed from the final report. The report was presented in the Lok Sabha by Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal.
During this, the proceedings were disrupted due to the protest of opposition MPs. At the same time, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while trying to pacify the protesting MPs, said that the government has no objection if dissent notes are added. Amit Shah said that some opposition members have objected that the issues, controversies raised by them have not been fully included. He said that if the controversies raised by the opposition MPs are included, then my party has no objection to it.
At the same time in the Rajya Sabha, the report on the bill was presented by Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni and accepted by the House. During the discussion on the report, the opposition walked out of the House. Leader of Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the opposition will not accept the fake report that crushes our views. The Congress President demanded that the report be sent back to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and presented again.
Kharge said that in the JPC report, many members have their dissent reports. It is not right to remove those notes and crush our views. This is anti-democracy... We will never accept such a fake report. If the report does not contain dissenting views, it should be sent back and re-introduced. Several INDIA alliance MPs also supported Kharge. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant claimed that our dissent note was removed.
Refuting Kharge's claims, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said dissent notes were attached to the report and accused the opposition of misleading the House. He said opposition members were creating unnecessary issues. Attacking the opposition, Union minister and BJP president JP Nadda said some people were trying to fight the Indian state, a reference to a statement made by Rahul Gandhi last year.
