It's PM Modi's govt that can take country forward, says Chirag Paswan

Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that it is PM Modi's government that can take the country forward.

"...If anyone can take the country forward, it is PM Modi's government and that is why the results are coming in our favour,'' Paswan said.

He also hit out at the opposition over the allegations on Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill and said, ''First, they (opposition) demanded that it should be sent to the JPC and now you don't trust it, whom will they trust?

Earlier, amid the demand of opposition members to extend the tenure of the Joint Parliament Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal said that their report is ready and they would hold clause-by-clause discussions on it.

Pal said that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has referred this bill to the JPC so whatever he would decide they would do the same.

"Our report is ready and we will hold clause-by-clause discussions on it. The opposition here was also saying this (seeking an extension of tenure of JPC)... Any member or Opposition is free to meet the Speaker. They (opposition) have been trying to extend the tenure of the JPC. The Speaker has referred this bill to us, so whatever he decides, we'll do the same," he said.

The JPC chairman informed that a meeting was held with the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Thursday for almost six hours in which they held clause-by-clause discussions.

This comes after some opposition MPs approached Speaker Om Birla and asked him to extend the time of the Joint Committee alleging that Committee Chairman Jagdambika Pal is not ready to listen to their issues and is in very hurry to table the committee's report in Parliament.

Since August 22 of this year, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, has held several meetings. The JPC reviewed the work of six ministries and heard from 123 stakeholders, including representatives from six states, eight Waqf boards, and four minority commissions.

It is pertinent to note that The Waqf Act, of 1995, which was created to regulate waqf properties, has long faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption and encroachments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The JPC is holding a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members and community representatives from different states and Union Territories, aiming for the most comprehensive reform possible.