MEMBERS of ruling and opposition parties engaged in verbal clash as former judges and Waqf administrators of different States appeared before the Parliament’s panel on the Waqf Bill which met for the first time on Monday after TMC member Kalyan Banerjee’s suspension for unruly conduct. Banerjee, who broke a glass bottle and allegedly hurled it towards the chairman during the meeting last week leading to his suspension for a day, was not present at Monday’s sitting. It was trouble from the word go, as AAP member Sanjay Singh objected to the examination of the Delhi Waqf Board administrator Ashwini Kumar, contending that the report submitted by him was not approved by the Delhi Chief Minister. A heated exchange among ruling and opposition members ensued, leading to a walkout, for a brief period, by Singh, Congress members Naseer Hussain and Mohammad Jawed, AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi, SP member Mohibbullah, DMK member Mohamed Abdulla and Mohammad Nadim-ul Haque of TMC.

 

Opposition members also struck off their signatures from the attendance roster of the parliamentary committee before walking out, parliamentary sources said. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi shot off a letter to Jagdambika Pal, the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, to consider the report of the Delhi Waqf Board as “null and void” as it was sent without the approval of the Delhi Government. As the Opposition members persisted with their objection to a presentation by the Delhi Waqf Board, the panel Chairman decided to seek the opinion of the Lok Sabha Secretary-General on the matter. Kumar, the Delhi Waqf Board official, appeared before the committee briefly after the Secretary General opined that he can submit his views before the panel. He is expected to continue his deposition on Tuesday. The opposition members also objected to the appearance of Justice S N Dhingra (retd) and other former judges, claiming they were not stakeholders in the matter under deliberation. As BJP members contended that the Committee would benefit from their vast experience in the judiciary, Opposition members cited cases heard by them that had kicked off political rows.

 

Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams created a flutter by suggesting that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would make the need for a separate Waqf law irrelevant. Shams told the panel that the implementation of the UCC by Uttarakhand would lead to its adoption at the national level very soon and there would be no need for any personal laws. He also wanted the Waqf lands in Uttarakhand to be allocated to the next of kin of martyrs, as the hill State has a large representation in the armed forces. Delhi Waqf Tenant Welfare Association supported the proposed amendments, the sources said, adding that its representatives accused the Waqf Board of harassing tenants. It was represented by its president Ketan Shah and other office-bearers. The parliamentary committee heard representatives of the Waqf Boards of Haryana and Punjab. The committee’s meetings have often seen tempers fly with Opposition members accusing the Chair of inviting different organisations, including those working for Hindu causes, that have no stake in the Waqf issues and the BJP members charging their political rivals with deliberately disturbing the proceedings.

 

 

Following allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Monday said the notices issued to them will be withdrawn, and the Deputy Commissioner is inquiring into the “mistake”. He said the Government has no intention to convert farmers’ land into Waqf property and in case of any mistake, it will be rectified, and action taken against those responsible. “Taking note of the mistake that has happened, the notices that were issued will be withdrawn. It needs to be inquired into as to why the mistake happened and then it will be decided (on action against those responsible),” Patil said. Speaking to reporters here, he said the Deputy Commissioner of the district will inquire into it and a couple of days is required to initiate an action to withdraw the notices issued. “The issue is sensitive, what I can say briefly is -- the allegation was that the farmers’ land were being converted as Waqf property, the Government has no such intention. In case anyone has committed such a mistake, it will be rectified and those responsible will be punished.....The land belongs to whoever it has to,” he added.

 

Bangalore South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday met farmers from Vijayapura who found that their properties were marked as Waqf assets, and lashed out at the Congress Government. Seeking to clarify “confusion” over 1,200 acres in Honavada of Tikota taluk being marked as Waqf property, Industries Minister M B Patil, who is in charge of Vijayapura district, subsequently said it was due to an “error” in the gazette notification. He said only 11 acres out of the 1,200 acres are Waqf properties. He also said that a task force headed by the Deputy Commissioner will be formed to resolve the issues. Noting that M B Patil’s statement has put an end to the controversy, the Law Minister said, if BJP wants to continue it for political reasons, it is not right. To a question on BJP demanding resignation of Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, he said, “why? if notices were issued wrongly, there is Deputy Commissioner of the district to rectify it, there is Government above it. For the mistake committed by Talati (village accountant) or Tahsildar, it is not right to ask for Zameer or anyone else’s resignation.”