Opposition Accuses JPC Chairman of ‘Parliamentary Misconduct’ Over Waqf Bill Proceedings

New Delhi: Opposition leaders have approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging a “gross violation” of parliamentary conduct during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Bill. The letter, endorsed by all Opposition members, claims the proceedings were handled in a “biased and partisan” manner by Chairman Jagdambika Pal.

The complaint follows a walkout staged by Opposition MPs on Monday, who accused former Karnataka Minorities Commission chief Anwar Manipaddy of misusing the forum to make unfounded allegations against the Karnataka government and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

The letter asserts that inviting Manipaddy to testify was outside the committee’s mandate. The MPs highlighted that Manipaddy, who identified himself as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and a former vice president of the Karnataka BJP, introduced a document titled “Presentation on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012″.

They criticised the document for lacking any relevance to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and for being filled with politically charged accusations against Congress leaders, including Kharge.

Despite objections from committee members regarding Kharge’s absence —citing his constitutional status — the chairperson allowed Manipaddy to proceed without providing time for protest. The MPs argued that Pal’s decision violated fundamental procedural rules, specifically the ‘Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha’, which restrict discussions on matters that are sub judice and require notice for defamatory allegations.