Opposition MPs Walk Out Of Waqf Bill Panel Meeting Over Allegations Against Congress President Kharge

NEW DELHI: Opposition MPs, who were part of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting held on Monday on Waqf Bill, walked out over allegations made by Anwar Manippady, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation. According to the MPs, Manippady deviated from the agenda of the meeting and made a series of allegations against the Karnataka Government and levelled allegations against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition MPs said that the allegations were irrelevant and unacceptable.

The MPs expressed dismay over Manippady's remarks, alleging that his comments were "politically motivated" and violated the mandate of the Joint Parliamentary Committee set up to examine the Waqf Bill. "We have boycotted because the committee is not functioning with the principles and norms of the committee. Ethically and principally they are wrong. This meeting is not a platform for settling political scores," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant.

"Anwar Manippady's focus should have been on Waqf Bill, but instead, he used this forum to level baseless accusations against our party leadership and Karnataka government. We can't accept this type of act in JPC meetings," said an MP from the Congress, who wished to remain anonymous. Sources said Manippady, who has served vice president and spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka, made "serious allegations about the mismanagement" of Waqf properties during the Congress regime.

He claimed that a vast land scam was unfolding under the guise of Waqf land administration, pointing fingers at both government officials and politicians. Manippady presented what he described as evidence of "looting" Waqf properties in Karnataka, alleging that much of the revenue generated "was being siphoned off by corrupt officials".

"Waqf institutions lease out these properties at nominal rates and a large portion of the proceeds--nearly 80 per cent--is pocketed by individuals ranging from Mutawallis (custodians) to Waqf Board officers and political leaders," he claimed. Sources said he provided examples of prime lands, leased for paltry sums, that were being used for commercial projects such as five-star hotels, colleges, and medical institutions, all of which he alleged were generating crores of rupees while Waqf institutions received only a fraction of the income.

"These leases and sales are illegal," he said referring to a court judgment. Manippady, in his presentation, named several high-profile Congress leaders and alleged their involvement in the misuse of Waqf properties. Manippady claimed that that even after years of investigations and reports, the offences related to Waqf properties continue unabated, referring to the findings of his earlier "Anwar Manippady Scam Report," which he had submitted to the Karnataka government more than a decade ago.

He emphasized that the land heist involved not only politicians but also officials from the Waqf Board. However, opposition MPs dismissed these allegations as politically motivated and argued that Manippady's position as a former BJP office-bearer raised questions on the credibility of his remarks and it is an attempt to malign the Congress.

As per sources, Opposition MPs will also approach to the Lok Sabha Speaker to discuss the working style of the Committee which is headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. Manippady also urged the Muslim minority community not to resist the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, arguing that reforms were necessary to prevent "further fraud" and ensure that Waqf assets genuinely benefit the community.

He stressed the need for a transparent process that "would stop Waqf properties from being unlawfully added to the Waqf Board's list or misappropriated by insiders". The walk out by opposition MPs has also led to some speculation about their participation in future meetings. They have said a balanced and focused discussion on the bill can only take place in the "absence of politically motivated distractions".