Opposition MPs meet Birla and protest against Waqf JPC chief’s ‘unilateral decisions’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Representatives of the Dawoodi Bohra community in their earlier impeachment joint parliamentary committee (JPC) scrutinizing the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2024, have argued that the proposed legislation does not recognize their special status and have sought that they should be kept out of the ambit of any waqf board.
The bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to the JPC for examination, provides for the creation of a separate board of ‘Auqaf’ for Bohras and Agakhanis, besides providing representation to Shias, Bohras, Agakhanis and backward Muslims in waqf boards.
On Tuesday, opposition members of the JPC met LS chairman Om Birla to register their protest against alleged “unilateral decisions” of panel chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on issues such as scheduling of hearings and calling witnesses, sources said. The Opposition expressed confidence that Birla would intervene to reduce the frequency of the meetings so that the members could prepare for the meetings. One of the MPs suggested holding the meetings with a break of fourteen days. After the meeting, MPs said the Speaker assured them of a decision at the earliest.
Tuesday was the 14th meeting of the GPC since August 22. Senior lawyer Harish Ointment appeared before the Anjuman e Shiateali Dawoodi Bohra community. According to sources, the community noted in a written submission that it is a “small and close-knit” denomination and that its affairs do not require the kind of regulation that could be considered necessary or even desirable in relation to other denominations that do not. believe in such a religious principle.
The power of the waqf board is undermining the faith of the community, it alleged, citing several SC judgments to underline the judiciary’s recognition of their “distinctive structure”, sources said.