DMK's Raja writes to waqf panel chief to defer JPC meetings proposed on Jan 24, 25

NEW DELHI: DMK MP A Raja on Wednesday wrote to waqf panel chief Jagdambika Pal on behalf of the opposition to postpone the proposed sittings of the joint parliamentary committee proposed on January 24 and 25.

In a letter to the waqf parliamentary panel chief, Raja said it is practically not possible for the members to recollect the evidence and materials essentially needed for the moving of the amendments and discussion on the waqf bill at such a short notice.

He said during the tour programme to meet various stakeholders in Lucknow on Tuesday, the members had requested Pal to postpone the meeting of JPC proposed on January 24 and 25 for taking up the bill clause by clause.

The panel is examining the waqf bill after it was introduced in Lok Sabha during the monsoon session of Parliament in August last year.

"Hence, it was requested by most of the members at the Lucknow sitting (21.01.2025) that the proposed sittings of JPC on 24th and 25th have to be necessarily postponed on 30th (full day) and 31st of this month after the presidential address in the Parliament," Raja said in his letter to Pal.

He said unless the sittings of the JPC are postponed, the purpose of constituting the committee itself will be defeated as it raises doubts in the minds of the people of India that the secular fabric of the Constitution embodied in the Preamble is endangered and due process in conducting the JPC is also not followed.

"It is, therefore, prayed on behalf of the members of the opposition parties that the sittings of the JPC proposed on 24th and 25th may kindly be postponed to 30th and 31st of this month as already discussed with you at Lucknow," Raja said.

The Congress also shared Raja's letter in a post on X and said, "Lok Sabha MP and member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Shri A Raja writes to the Chairman of the joint panel, Shri Jagdambika Pal, on behalf of the members of the Opposition parties, requesting the sittings of the JPC be postponed from 24th and 25th Jan to 30th and 31st Jan 2025."

In his letter to the chairman of the JPC on waqf, Raja said the Lok Sabha Secretariat (JCWAP Cell) through a letter dated January 20 has requested the members of the panel to send their amendments to the proposed bill by 4 pm on Wednesday. Also, the next sitting of JPC has also been convened on January 24 and 25 for clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, he also said.

"It is needless to say that the tour programmes of the JPC to meet the stakeholders at Patna, Kolkata and Lucknow were completed only yesterday ie 21.01.2025; And the members were dispersed from the tour programme to their constituency/states to continue their scheduled programmes earlier.

"It is very strange that the next dates for a sitting of JPC were hurriedly announced without any formal discussion when the JPC was already on tour. Even during the sitting of JPC at Lucknow itself, it was requested by the members that the proposed sittings of 24th and 25th of this month are practically not possible as the members are expected to discharge their duties/programmes in the locality.

"Moreover, the members are not in a position to recollect the evidence/materials at such a short notice which are essentially needed for the moving of the Amendments and discussion thereon," he said.

The DMK MP also said Pal has directed the stake holders who participated in the tour programme at Patna, Kolkata and Lucknow to submit their views and submission in writing within seven days and the committee is waiting for the same for circulation.

"I sincerely recall that you have reacted to the request that it will be considered positively after consultation with the government realising the justification offered by us for the postponement," he said.