The Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 turned contentious once again, with opposition MPs staging a walkout following the Delhi Waqf Board’s endorsement of the proposed amendments. The board’s administrator, IAS officer Ashwini Kumar, expressed support for the bill, despite opposition MPs asserting that his appointment to the board was unlawful.
Opposition MPs argued that the Waqf legislation restricts non-Muslims from holding positions on the Waqf Board, questioning Kumar’s eligibility. In response, a BJP member noted that under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, a Hindu administrator had previously been appointed to the Delhi Waqf Board.
On Monday, opposition MPs left the meeting in protest over Kumar’s presentation. AAP MP Sanjay Singh raised concerns, stating that the presentation had not received approval from the Delhi government. Additionally, opposition members alleged that the original report from the Waqf Board had been altered without Delhi Chief Minister Atishi’s consent. Atishi has since sent a letter to the committee, declaring the presentation “null and void.”
