Waqf Bill: Oppn MPs meet LS Speaker, lodge protest against JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal

New Delhi: The Opposition lawmakers, who are part of the Parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday to register their protest against ‘unilateral’ decisions taken by the panel chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal.

Opposition MPs from parties including Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP and SP met Om Birla on Tuesday and complained about the 'arbitrary' behaviour of committee chairman Jagdambika Pal.

As per reports, the Opposition MPs alleged that the JPC Chairman is arbitrarily calling the meetings and inviting those people and organisations for presenting their views, who are not stakeholders in this matter.

They also claimed that the Opposition lawmakers were being denied the proper opportunity to speak and also their views were not being paid heed upon.

After meeting Speaker Om Birla, AAP MP Sanjay Singh told the media that a delegation of Opposition Parliamentarians impressed upon the Speaker about the problems and challenges being faced in the JPC meetings.

Singh said that the Speaker has assured the Opposition MPs of discussing the things out and finding a solution soon.

The Opposition MPs of the JPC scrutinising the Waqf Amendment Bill are also understood to have submitted a letter to the Om Birla, listing their complaints and grievances regarding the amendments. In the letter signed by the Opposition lawmakers, they have raised multiple allegations against the JPC chief.

Meanwhile, Jagdambika Pal has refuted all the charges and said that the Opposition MPs who levelled these charges are continuously attending these meetings and being given ample opportunity to speak and share their views on Waqf amendments.

Notably, the JPC’s proceedings have lately been marred by frequent protests from the Opposition members over a host of issues. BJP members have rejected these charges and accused the Opposition of scuttling the progress made in past JPC meetings.

The panel is expected to submit its report by the first week of Parliament’s Winter Session.