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A day after Union Residence Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju made a powerful case for the Waqf (Modification) Invoice within the decrease home of the Parliament, Chief of Rajya Sabha and Union Minister J.P. Nadda led a passionate debate within the Rajya Sabha on the invoice, whereas slamming the Opposition.
The controversy that started on Thursday ended with nearly all of members voting for the Invoice on Friday.
The Invoice will now be required to be despatched to President Droupadi Murmu for her Assent to change into regulation.
J.P. Nadda got here down closely on the Congress for its dealing with of the Waqf Act, accusing the grand previous get together of enacting the regulation in a approach that allegedly facilitated land mafias.
Talking within the Higher Home on Thursday, J.P. Nadda passionately defended the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, stressing the pressing want for reform to guard nationwide pursuits and stop the misuse of Waqf properties, which ought to serve the welfare of poor Muslims.
Spotlighting the nationwide significance of the difficulty and the necessity for in-depth deliberation, J.P. Nadda drew consideration to the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) below the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led authorities.
Comprising 31 members, the committee has facilitated over 200 hours of debate on the invoice.
This, he identified, stands in stark distinction to the JPC setup throughout the UPA authorities in 2013, which had solely 13 members and lacked the identical stage of dedication.
J.P. Nadda asserted that democracy thrives on significant discourse and the inclusion of various views, reasonably than merely accepting a single viewpoint.
Underscoring its nationwide significance and the crucial for centered deliberation, the chief of Rajya Sabha, the chief of the Home, highlighted the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) below the PM Modi-led authorities, which comprised 31 members and facilitated an in depth 200 hours of debate on the Invoice.
This, he famous, was a marked enchancment over the JPC established throughout the UPA authorities in 2013, which had solely 13 members and lacked the identical stage of dedication.
He emphasised that democracy thrives on logical discourse and the inclusion of various views, reasonably than the mere acceptance of a singular viewpoint.
Sharing insights from Jagdambika Pal, J.P. Nadda revealed that the JPC below the PM Modi-led authorities convened 36 conferences, consulted 284 stakeholders, and visited 10 totally different areas to collect complete enter on the Waqf Invoice.
“In distinction, the UPA-era JPC engaged with solely 18 stakeholders, reflecting an absence of thoroughness,” he identified.
This enhanced session course of, he argued, underscored the PM Modi-led authorities’s dedication to complete deliberation.
J.P. Nadda criticised the opposition for making an attempt to derail the dialogue by introducing irrelevant matters.
He urged members to prioritise the nation’s welfare over get together pursuits, asserting that the Invoice is basically within the nation’s curiosity.
Addressing Constitutional issues, J.P. Nadda defined that below earlier laws, Waqf land claims have been shielded from challenges in civil courts, which he deemed a violation of constitutional ideas.
He said that the Waqf Modification Invoice seeks to rectify this by empowering district collectors to find out rightful possession of properties and explicitly excluding lands below the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from Waqf claims. This, he famous, was a pivotal reform.
Turning to social points, he accused the opposition of neglecting the plight of Muslim girls. He criticised the Congress-led UPA authorities for delaying motion on the Supreme Court docket’s advice to ban “triple talaq,” describing it as a transparent occasion of decreasing Muslim girls to second-class residents.
He identified that nations like Turkey abolished triple talaq as early as 1929, and different Muslim-majority nations had adopted swimsuit.
This reform, he said, was lastly enacted in India below Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s management, empowering Muslim girls.
Amid uproar, the Chief of the Home additionally raised issues concerning the identification of presidency properties as Waqf properties, questioning how temples, lakes, and different authorities property have been declared as such.
Earlier than its passage, the Invoice sparked intense debate within the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The federal government asserts that these amendments goal to fight corruption, rectify mismanagement, and foster inclusivity. Nonetheless, critics specific apprehension that such measures might erode the rights of the Muslim minority and probably facilitate the appropriation of historic mosques and different important properties.
The Congress-led opposition vehemently opposed the invoice throughout in depth deliberations within the Lok Sabha (Decrease Home), denouncing it as unconstitutional and prejudicial to Muslims.
Opposition leaders declare their suggestions have been missed throughout subsequent discussions on the Invoice.
In the meantime, the federal government accuses the opposition of spreading misinformation to undermine the invoice and hinder efforts to make sure transparency within the administration of waqf endowments.
Participating within the debate in Rajya Sabha, Congress member Syed Naseer Hussain accused the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Social gathering) of utilizing the Invoice to polarise and mislead, claiming it was a part of a misinformation marketing campaign.
Impartial MP Kapil Sibal criticised the Invoice for proscribing property donations to Muslims, questioning its alignment with “one nation, one regulation”, and known as for reforms in Hindu property legal guidelines to make sure gender equality.
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi labelled the Invoice a conspiracy that violates Constitutional rights below Articles 25-26, accusing the federal government of arbitrariness.
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda supported the Invoice, praising its intent to guard donor-given properties from misuse by highly effective people.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut mocked the federal government’s sudden concern for Muslims, whereas BJD MP Muzibullah Khan urged the federal government to handle fears amongst Muslims concerning the Invoice.
AAP’s (Aam Admi Social gathering) Sanjay Singh accused the federal government of deceptive the general public and known as for transparency on public suggestions relating to the Invoice.
Trinamool Congress MP Nadimul Haque warned that the Invoice might set a harmful precedent, probably concentrating on properties of different religions sooner or later. He criticised the Invoice as discriminatory and an assault on the federal construction, urging warning in opposition to divisive insurance policies.
The Invoice, after its passage within the Lok Sabha, ignited a heated debate amongst a couple of members.
Chief of Opposition (RS) and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Invoice, alleging it was designed to focus on minorities. He challenged BJP Parliamentarian Anurag Thakur’s accusations of corruption in Karnataka’s Waqf land, demanding proof or his resignation, vowing to step down himself if any claims in opposition to him have been substantiated.
The Biju Janata Dal allowed its MPs to vote primarily based on conscience, whereas Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora dismissed claims of presidency bias in opposition to minorities. He highlighted elevated alternatives for spiritual minorities below Modi’s management and the constructive impression of Article 370’s elimination in Jammu and Kashmir, citing an increase in per capita earnings as proof of progress.
Samajwadi Social gathering MP Javed Ali Khan said that roughly one crore individuals had submitted strategies to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) relating to the Waqf Invoice. The controversy underscored sharp divisions, with the federal government advocating reforms and the opposition questioning its intent.
