'Gross violation of ... ': Opposition MPs write to Speaker Om Birla over JPC meet on Waqf bill

Opposition MPs on Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla raising concerns over "gross violations" of the parliamentary code of conduct in the Joint Parliamentary Committee meet on Waqf bill .

"At the beginning of his remarks, Manippady circulated a note titled 'Presentation on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2012 based on Karmataka Waqf Scam Report 2012' to the committee members. The note contained no observations on the the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024," the letter signed by Asaduddin Owaisi, Kalyan Banerjee among others said.

"Instead, it was full of politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha). Despite vehement protests by several committee members that Kharge occupies a constitutional position of high dignity and is not present in the meeting, the witness was allowed to speak by the Chairperson. Further, he refused to provide adequate time to committee members to lodge their protests," it added.

Opposition MPs also staged a walk out of the meeting due to allegations of abusive language from a BJP MP and perceived bias. They later returned to participate again. They reiterated their claims that the committee Chairman, Jagdambika Pal, was showing favoritism on various issues and failing to provide guidance to BJP/NDA MPs.

In their letter, the opposition MPs asserted that committee members were denied their fundamental right to express their concerns and opinions in an environment that should uphold the highest standards of democratic values.

On Monday, the opposition MPs walked out of the JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill in response to allegations made by Anwar Manippady, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation.

The MPs contended that Manippady strayed from the meeting's agenda, making a series of accusations against the Karnataka Government and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. They deemed these allegations irrelevant and unacceptable.