Opposition MPs staged a boycott of the presentation on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, citing concerns that it was being used to discredit the Congress-led Karnataka government and its President, Mallikarjun Kharge. The presentation was held at a Joint Parliamentary meeting and delivered by Anwar Mannipaddy, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and former Karnataka BJP Vice-President.
Opposition members demanded time from the Speaker for further discussion on the issue and called for the removal of Committee Chairman Jagdambika Pal. They pointed to a controversial 11-page report, which implicated Kharge in alleged involvement in Waqf land scams.
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The report also named several former Congress ministers, including the late CK Jaffer Shariff, Rehman Khan, Roshan Baig, and current Congress MLA Tanveer Sait, alleging their participation in illegal activities concerning Waqf property. It described the Waqf board scam as the largest of its kind in India and urged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conduct a thorough investigation.
Additionally, the report recommended suspending the Waqf board for at least 12 months, or until the investigations concluded. It highlighted that, despite persistent outcry over the scam for over a decade, financial mismanagement within the Waqf Board continues unchecked.
Anwar Mannipaddy emphasized the need for effective amendments to ensure accountability in managing public assets. He urged the Muslim community not to resist the proposed changes, stressing that they aim to prevent fraud and misuse of Waqf assets for genuine community benefit. He also noted that fostering trust between majority and minority communities is essential for development.
Several opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena-UBT MP Arvind Sawant, Congress members Gaurav Gogoi and Imran Masood, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, Samajwadi Party’s Mohibbullah, DMK’s A Raja, and Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh, walked out of the meeting in protest.
