Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has lauded the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) reviewing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill for receiving an unprecedented volume of public feedback. Speaking at the sidelines of a ‘Viksit Bharat-Yuva Connect’ event in Pune, Rijiju highlighted that the JPC had received recommendations in “crores” – a scale of public engagement rarely seen.
According to a PTI report, sources indicate that the JPC, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jagadambika Pal, has received 1.2 crore email responses regarding the bill, alongside 75,000 responses accompanied by supporting documents. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, was referred to the JPC following intense debate.
Rijiju addressed concerns about misinformation surrounding the bill, dismissing claims that Muslim properties would be seized by the government. “No Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or Sikh is going to take away land. The bill aims to improve the management of Waqf properties, and many Muslim organisations support the move as they believe Waqf properties should benefit their community,” he clarified.
Additionally, when asked about AAP leader Atishi taking charge as Delhi’s chief minister but opting not to use Arvind Kejriwal’s chair, Rijiju downplayed the significance, pointing out that the Supreme Court had restricted Kejriwal, recently released on bail, from signing any official documents.
(With inputs from PTI)