'No deletion of dissent, don't mislead': Kiren Rijiju fires back at Kharge as Waqf Bill tabled in Rajya Sabha

The report of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was tabled and subsequently accepted by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, triggering massive protests from the opposition. Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar briefly adjourned proceedings as opposition MPs raised slogans, alleging that portions of dissent notes were removed from the report. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill aims to streamline the registration and management of Waqf properties across the country.

As soon as Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni tabled the report, opposition MPs raised slogans, alleging that portions of dissent notes had been removed from the report. Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge called the report a "fake" and demanded that it be sent back to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for review.

"In the JPC report, many members have their dissent report. It is not right to remove those notes and bulldoze our views. This is anti-democracy... We will never accept such fake reports. If the report does not have dissenting views, it should be sent back and presented again," Kharge said.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, countering Kharge’s claims, asserted that the dissent notes were attached in the appendix of the report and accused the opposition of misleading the House. "I have checked the concerns raised by the opposition. There is no deletion or removal from the report. Everything is on the floor of the House. On what basis can such an issue be raised? The members of the opposition are creating an unnecessary issue, which is not a fact," Rijiju said. He further noted that the JPC conducted its proceedings as per parliamentary rules, with opposition members participating in all meetings over the past six months.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant disputed Rijiju's response, alleging that the committee did not hold proper discussions. "The committee was formed to discuss the clause-by-clause provisions in the Bill. The JPC chairman should be asked if the answers given by the witnesses were shared with the JPC members. No, they were not," Sawant said. "Clause-by-clause discussions were never held. Because of this, we gave a dissent note, which was later removed."

On the other hand, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi defended the report, stressing that the primary objective of the Waqf Bill is to ensure the better management of Waqf properties. "All the Waqf properties across the country should be managed well. That’s the ultimate goal. The caretakers should get more income, and we must say 'no' to encroachment," Sarangi said. She reiterated that all dissent notes were appropriately incorporated and expressed confidence that the Bill would be passed by both houses.