Opposition members walk out of Waqf panel meet

Several Opposition members walked out of the meeting of the Joint Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill on Monday, protesting against the presentation made by the Delhi Waqf Board.

The Opposition members claimed that the Delhi Waqf Board administrator, who had appeared before the committee, made changes to the presentation without the knowledge of the Delhi Government. AAP member Sanjay Singh, DMK’s Mohammed Abdulla, Congress’ Naseer Hussain and Mohamed Jawed among others walked out of the meeting. They alleged that MCD Commissioner and administrator of Delhi Waqf Board Ashwini Kumar had completely altered the initial report of the Waqf Board without the Chief Minister’s approval.

Ruling and opposition members engaged in verbal clash as former judges and Waqf administrators of different states appeared before the Parliament’s panel on the Waqf Bill, which met for the first time on Monday after TMC member Kalyan Banerjee's suspension for unruly conduct.

Banerjee, who allegedly broke a glass bottle and hurled it towards the chairman during the meeting last week leading to his suspension for a day, was absent at Monday’s sitting.

AAP member Sanjay Singh objected to the examination of the Delhi Waqf Board administrator Ashwini Kumar, contending that the report submitted by him was not approved by the Delhi CM.

A heated exchange among ruling and opposition members ensued, leading to a walkout, for a brief period, by Singh, Congress members Naseer Hussain and Mohammad Jawed, AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi, SP member Mohibbullah, DMK member Mohamed Abdulla and Mohammad Nadim-ul Haque of TMC.

Meanwhile, Delhi CM Atishi shot off a letter to Jagdambika Pal, the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, to consider the report of the Delhi Waqf Board as "null and void" as it was sent without the approval of the Delhi government.