New Delhi

Union Home Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the centre wants discussion on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which will be introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the Question Hour.

Rijiju informed that an eight-hour time has been decided for discussion in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Lok Sabha, which can also be extended.

"In the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Lok Sabha, I had proposed before the committee that tomorrow on 2nd April, we are bringing the Waqf Amendment Bill and for that we have to allocate time for discussion...Finally, there was an agreement that the total time to be located for discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill would be eight hours, extendable after taking the sense of the House," Rijiju said.

BJP issued a three-line whip for all its MPs to appear in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Waqf Bill will be passed tomorrow in the Lok Sabha.

Congress has announced to oppose the Waqf bill, while the TDP and Shiv Sena have extended their support for the Bill.

"We want discussion. Every political party has the right to express its opinion, and the country wants to hear which political party has what stand on the amendment bill." Rijiju added.

Rijiju added that he can't stop opposition if they don't want to participate in the discussion.

"If they (opposition) do not want to participate in the discussion by making some excuse, then I cannot stop it," Rijiju said.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will be tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. It was decided in the Business Advisory Committee meeting, where the opposition staged a walkout.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi expressed strong disagreement on the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating the entire nation is watching how the voice of democracy is being crushed in the Lok Sabha.

"We walked out of the House. I don't know what is in their (government's mind. I hope that the Speaker will take note of all of this. The entire country is seeing how the voice of democracy is being crushed slowly in the Lok Sabha," Gogoi told ANI.

Gogoi stated that opposition MPs had to walk out in compulsion as they were not left with any other option.

"The opposition parties have walked out in the middle of the BAC meeting in protest because the government is simply bulldozing its agenda and not listening to the views of the opposition parties. We have asked for a comprehensive discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act, and our views are being listened to. We asked for a proper time to be allocated for the resolution of the President's rule in Manipur, but our advice is not being listened to.

The bill was earlier presented in the Lok Sabha in August of last year, following which a Joint Parliamentary Committee was formed under Jagdambika Pal’s leadership for further consideration.

The bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.

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The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.