While the Opposition members walked out of the House to protest against the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda condemned their act sharply and demanded strict action against the MPs.
They justified that their walking out was not only irresponsible but also a "tool and incentive for anti-national activities."
Nadda also attacked the Opposition for failing to have a serious debate, accusing them of having been given ample time to express themselves. "All the points which they wanted to make were heard," he accused.
Questioning their intentions, he included the walkout was politically motivated and not in the interest of generating a healthy debate. "The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has made sure that all aspects of the report have been addressed, and all the issues have been put forth in the annexure. Their move is nothing but appeasement politics," Nadda further said.
He also held the Opposition responsible for joining hands with elements that were eager to stop the country's progress. "This Walkout by concert can be interpreted as an effort to trigger anti-national forces," he further said, asking the Chairman to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the MPs by suspending them.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had previously stated that he was disappointed and that the Opposition had relinquished its constitutional responsibility without reason.
"I gave them every chance to present their arguments to me. Going away is not a protest but a surrender of responsibility," Dhankhar told the media.He added that the Waqf matter was a national issue and should be allowed serious discussion in Parliament.
The proceedings on the day were characterized by growing tensions as the Opposition ratcheted up the protest against the motion to accept the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.The earlier introduction of the bill with some ado was followed by a motion to place related evidence on record.
Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge labeled the report "spun" and "unconstitutional" and accused minority stand having been side-stepped to adopt the majority view.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju denied this and accused the Opposition of cheating people. He guaranteed the House that no modification was done in the report.
"Opposition members' concerns were accommodated, and I assure that no section has been removed or modified. On what basis are such unsubstantiated allegations?" Rijiju responded. He further added that the Opposition had been actively engaged in the process of drafting the report since the past six months.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who is the Chairman of the JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, reasserted that the report was the product of widespread consultations. Granting that disagreements of mind were part of the legislative procedure, he confirmed that all of the notes of dissent and submissions from every corner had been put into account.
The Waqf Act, 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has been criticized on charges of mismanagement, corruption, and unlawful encroachment. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, tries to make amendments for the same. A few of the notable provisions of the bill are digitization of records, tightened auditing procedures, greater transparency, and legal mechanisms to retrieve illegally possessed properties.
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