JPC clears Waqf bill, accepts NDA's 14 amendments; Opposition calls it ‘farcical exercise'

The Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Monday adopted all the amendments proposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members, and negated every change moved the by the opposition MPs. The opposition MPs slammed the meeting's proceedings, accusing the JPC chairperson of “subverting” the democratic processes. "It was a farcical exercise. We were not heard. Pal has acted in a dictatorial manner," TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee as saying.

“Today, they did everything that they had pre-decided. They did not allow us to speak anything. No rules and procedures have been followed... We wanted to discuss the amendments clause-by-clause but did not let us speak at all. The JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal moved the amendments and then declared them without listening to our points... This is a bad day for democracy,” Banerjee added.