"Not right to call JPC report illegal, unconstitutional": Kiren Rijiju on Opposition protest over Waqf Bill

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday defended the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, stating that dissent notes from Opposition leaders have been included and rejecting claims that the report is illegal or unconstitutional.

Addressing the media, Rijiju emphasized that the entire report, including annexures, has been presented in the House. He clarified that if dissent notes cast aspersions on the committee, the chairman holds the authority to remove them as per parliamentary rules. He further stated that if members believe certain portions should not have been removed, they can raise the matter with the chairman.

"It is incorrect to label the JPC report as illegal and unconstitutional. This is not the NDA's report; it is the report of Parliament. All dissent reports have been included in the version tabled in the Rajya Sabha and will also be presented in the Lok Sabha," Rijiju asserted.

Meanwhile, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, strongly opposed the report, alleging that dissenting views of Opposition members had been wrongfully removed. He stated that eliminating dissent notes undermines the democratic process and disregards the viewpoints of Opposition leaders.

The tabling of the report sparked a major uproar in both Houses of Parliament, with the Lok Sabha adjourned until 2 PM amid intense sloganeering by Opposition members, while the Rajya Sabha also witnessed heated exchanges over the issue.