The Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewing the Waqf amendment bill approved all of the changes put forth by the ruling BJP-led NDA lawmakers on Monday, paving the way for the bill to return to Parliament during the Budget session. However, every change proposed by opposition members was rejected by the JPC. The committee's chairman, Jagdambika Pal, claimed that the changes the committee made would improve and strengthen the law, despite protests from opposition MPs.

The Waqf Amendment Bill draft, presented in the House last August, has been revised with 14 proposed changes. Opposition MPs in the committee, led by Jagadambika Pal from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had suggested 44 amendments, but none of them were accepted. The 14 proposed changes will be voted on January 29, and the final report is expected to be submitted by January 31, according to NDTV.

The Waqf Amendment Bill brings in several changes to how Waqf boards are run. One of the key changes is that non-Muslim members will now be included, and at least two women will be part of the boards. The central Waqf Council will also need the involvement of a union minister, three Members of Parliament, two former judges, four people of national repute, and senior government officials if the revisions are adopted. None of these individuals must be of the Islamic faith.

Additionally, according to the revisions, the Waqf Council will no longer be able to make land claims. Limiting donations to the Waqf from Muslims who have been actively practising their faith for at least five years is another planned modification that has generated controversy and raises concerns about what constitutes a ‘practising Muslim.’ "Today, they did whatever they had fixed. They didn't allow us to speak. No rules or procedures have been followed. Initially, we asked for documents, representations and comments. All those things have not been supplied to us. Jagdambika Pal did not allow discussion at all. He then brought in the Amendment Motion. We were not all allowed to speak in the Amendment Motion," said TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee. Opposition MPs criticised the meeting and accused Pal of undermining the democratic process.

Banerjee claimed that the proceedings were a farce. "This is a black day of democracy...Jagdambika Pal is the greatest blacklister of democracy. He is a man who has destroyed democracy...", he said. However, panellist Aparajita Sarangi, a BJP MP, claimed that today's discussion was conducted in a very democratic way. "The Chairperson's Jagdambika Pal tried to hear everybody out and gave sufficient time for everybody to move the amendment that everybody wished to. There are 44 amendments to the principal Act 1995 that had been proposed by the government which had been tabled before all of us to deliberate upon. Against these 44 amendments, the Opposition party MPs had actually proposed amendments with regard to 43 proposals of the government. As far as NDA MPs are concerned, they moved 24 proposals. The voting was mostly 10:16. They were 10 members and we were 16," said Sarangi, while accusing Banerjee of trying to create ruckus.

Pal denied the accusation and explained that the process was democratic, with the majority opinion being followed. One of the major changes suggested by the committee is that Waqf properties cannot be challenged on the basis of 'Waqf by user,' a provision in the current law. This provision will be removed in the new law, as long as the properties are used for religious purposes. According to Pal, the NDA members' revisions to clause 14 of the bill have been approved. He stated that hundreds of amendments were proposed by opposition members in all 44 provisions, but they were all rejected by a vote.