The Modi government on Wednesday introduced an amendment bill in the Lok Sabha to make changes in the Waqf Board Act. There was an uproar in the Parliament regarding this bill. During this time, while the opposition created a ruckus, from the ruling party, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju explained in detail why there was a need to bring this bill. Seeking support from the opposition, Rijiju said that support this bill, you will get the blessings of crores of people. A few people have taken over the entire Waqf Board and this bill has been brought to correct the justice that common Muslim people did not get. It will be recorded in history who has supported and who has opposed this bill.
Kiren Rijiju said that we are not going to run away
When there was a lot of debate regarding this bill, Kiren Rijiju said that, we propose that this bill be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. On this the speaker said that yes, I will form a committee soon. At the same time, Asaduddin Owaisi demanded division on this. The speaker asked how division is formed on this.
Owaisi said that we have been demanding division from the beginning. Kiren Rijiju said that we are not going to run away. While presenting the bill, he said that this bill should be passed from here. After this, whatever scrutiny needs to be done, we are ready. Make this bill and send it to JPC. Members of every party should be in that committee, whoever wants to do scrutiny, we are ready.
Example given from the case of Bohra community
Earlier, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju cited individual cases regarding the need to introduce the bill. He said that ‘this is a case of Bohra community. There is a trust in Mumbai, it was settled by the High Court. Dawood lives near Ibrahim. Asia’s largest scheme has been launched at the same place. Some man complained to the Waqf Board regarding the same property and the Waqf Board notified him. A project was disturbed through the Waqf Board by a person who is neither in that city nor in that state.
Also read: ‘Some people have captured the Waqf Board’, Rijiju explained in 10 points why there was a need to bring the bill.
Arbitrariness happened in Tiruchirappalli also
There was a 1500 year old Sundareshwar Temple in Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu. When a man went to sell 1.2 acre property in the village, he was told that it was Waqf land. The entire village has been declared Waqf property. Municipal Corporation land was declared Waqf property. The Karnataka Minority Commission report in 2012 said that the Waqf Board had converted 29 thousand acres of land into commercial property.
They were being so arbitrary. Such a big scam is happening before our eyes. The case of Dr. Baria Bushra Fatima is from Lucknow. In what difficult circumstances is that woman living with her child? If their father passes away, they and their children will not get the property. Akhilesh ji, you were the Chief Minister, no one told you. Look not from the perspective of religion, but from the perspective of justice. Don’t try to run away by making allegations.
Government of India has the right to bring bill on Waqf- Rijiju
Kiren Rijiju said that the arguments given by the opposition while opposing this bill do not stand. No provision of the Constitution has been violated in this bill. This is not interference in any religion. This bill was brought not to take away anyone’s rights, but to give space to those who were suppressed. He also mentioned a decision of the Supreme Court and also said that it is in concrete.
The Government of India has the right to bring the bill. This Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced many times from the British era till after independence. This Act was first brought in 1954, after which many amendments have been made. The amendment that we are going to bring today is the Waqf Act 1955 which was amended in 2013 and such a provision was inserted due to which we have to bring this amendment.
Waqf Board has been captured by a few people: Rijiju
Whatever provision was brought in the Waqf Amendment of 1955, people have seen it in different ways. Many committees, many people have done complete analysis. It has been found that the purpose for which the Waqf Amendment of 1955 was brought was not being fulfilled. Many flaws have been found. If this amendment could not do whatever you wanted, then this bill has been brought only for that. We are all elected representatives. Support this bill, you will get the blessings of crores of people. A few people have taken over the Waqf Board. The poor did not get justice.
It will be recorded in history who were in opposition. Many committees have pointed out the flaws in the 1955 Act from 2014 to today even during the Congress era. In 1976, there was a big recommendation in the Waqf Inquiry Report that proper steps should be taken to discipline it, tribal formation should be formed to simplify the differences. The method of audit and accounts is not proper, there should be complete management. Waqf Al Aulad should be improved.
What is JPC?
In fact, Parliament needs an agency on which the entire House has confidence. There are committees of Parliament for this. These committees consist of members of Parliament. JPC is formed to investigate cases of financial irregularities in any bill or any government activity.
Why is JPC needed?
This is needed because Parliament has a lot of work. There is less time to complete these tasks. Because of this, when any work or matter comes to the Parliament, it is not able to consider it in depth. In such a situation, many tasks are handled by committees, which are called parliamentary committees.
Joint Parliamentary Committee is also formed for the same purpose. It is called Joint Parliamentary Committee because it consists of members of both the Houses – Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Parliamentary committees are constituted by the Parliament itself. These committees work on the instructions of the Speaker of the Parliament and submit their reports to the Parliament or the Speaker.
There are two types of committees
These committees are of two types. Standing committees and temporary committees. The tenure of standing committees is one year and their work continues continuously. Financial committees, department related committees and some other types of committees are standing committees.
At the same time, temporary or ad-hoc committees are formed for some special matters. When their work ends, the existence of these committees also ends.
The Joint Committee of Parliament is a temporary committee, which is formed for a fixed period. Its purpose is to look at a particular issue. JPC is formed when one house passes its proposal and the other house supports it.
What is the structure of JPC?
Composition of JPC The number of members in JPC may vary from case to case. It can have a maximum of 30-31 members, whose president is made by a member of the majority party. The members of Lok Sabha are twice as many as those of Rajya Sabha. For example, if there are 20 Lok Sabha members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee, then 10 members will be from Rajya Sabha and the total members of JPC will be 30.
Apart from this, the majority party also has more number of members in the committee. The committee has a maximum time limit of 3 months to investigate any case. After this he has to present his investigation report before the Parliament.
JPC’s work and its power
Members of both the houses are included in the JPC. The number of committee members is not fixed. But still it is constituted in such a way that members of all political parties get a chance to be represented.
Generally, the Joint Parliamentary Committee has twice the number of members in the Lok Sabha as compared to the Rajya Sabha. They have the right to collect evidence through any means. She can ask for documents related to any matter, call any person or organization and interrogate her.
If any person or organization does not appear before the JPC, it is considered a violation of contempt of Parliament. JPC can ask for written or oral reply from that person or organization regarding this.
How does it work?
JPC is constituted by the Parliament and some points are also mentioned which are examined. If the matter is regarding a bill then it is discussed point by point. Various colleagues, experts and interested groups are invited to participate in the JPC’s investigations and discussions. Technical experts are also appointed for technical advice. Apart from this, advice is also taken from the general public on some issues.
The entire system is kept confidential
The entire system of its working is kept confidential. But its president keeps giving information to the media from time to time. Except for issues related to public interest, reports of all other cases are also kept confidential. Apart from this, the final decision whether to make any report public or not rests with the government. Once the investigation report is presented in Parliament, the JPC ceases to exist.
When was the demand for JPC made in the Parliament?
Demands have been made several times regarding JPC investigation. Recently, when the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had demanded a JPC inquiry into the stock market crash. Rahul Gandhi said that the next day after the exit poll, the stock market broke all the records, but the very next day on June 4, the day of the results, the stock market went underground. He said that there was a loss of Rs 30 lakh crore due to the fall in the market. This money belonged to five crore retail investors. He had demanded a JPC investigation into this entire matter.
JPC came into existence for the first time after the Bofors scam.
The history of formation of JPC has also been interesting. JPC first came into existence when the Bofors scam came to light in the country and the then Rajiv Gandhi government was surrounded from all sides regarding it. During this period, JPC was first formed in the year 1987.
The results of JPC investigation overturned the government thrice.
The result of the investigation after the formation of JPC has decided the direction of the governments also. Even if we consider it a coincidence, JPC has been formed 8 times since independence. Out of these, whatever results have come 5 times, the government in power at the Center has not been able to win the next general election. JPC inquiry has been conducted twice in Atal and Congress governments. In this way governments have been overthrown thrice. Congress lost the elections in 1989 after the JPC investigation into the Bofors scam.
JPC formed for the second time It happened in the year 1992, when PV Narasimha Rao’s government was accused of irregularities in security and banking transactions. After this investigation, Congress lost the elections in 1996.
For the third time in the year 2001 JPC was formed regarding the stock market scam. However, there was no impact on the government, because anyway this government had just reached its middle stage.
JPC formed for the fourth time in 2003 This was done to test the presence of pesticides in soft drinks and other beverages manufactured in India. After this the Adal government lost the next election.
For the fifth time in 2011 When JPC was formed to investigate the 2G spectrum scam, For the sixth time in the year 2013 JPC was formed to investigate the VVIP chopper scam. Congress had lost the elections in 2014.
For the first time after Modi government came to the country Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation Bill in 2015 JPC was formed regarding this. However, no result has come yet on this. after this For the eighth and last time in the year 2016 JPC was formed regarding NRC issue. There has been no result on this either.
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