New Delhi: Top government officials on Thursday appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) considering the Waqf Amendment Bill. The committee was briefed about Waqf properties, land plots of the Road Transport and Railways ministries in the National Capital Region.

Urban Affairs and Road Transport Secretary Anurag Jain and Railway Board Member (Infrastructure) Anil Kumar Khandelwal, along with officials from the concerned ministries, made a presentation before the Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill. Officials from the Ministry of Urban Affairs informed the JPC members about the land acquisition process undertaken by the then British government in 1911 for the development of Delhi city.

Officials could not answer

Sources said a heated debate broke out during the meeting when officials of the Urban Affairs Ministry could not answer the members' questions on the land acquisition process carried out by the British administration. Sources said JPC member and DMK MP A. Raja said the Wakf Act was passed in 1913. There was no mention of it in the Urban Affairs Ministry's presentation.

Claims on 138 properties between 1970 and 1977

According to the ministry's presentation, the Wakf Board had claimed 138 properties between 1970 and 1977, which were acquired by the British government for the development of New Delhi. A total of 341 sq km of land was acquired for the construction of the National Capital Region. The affected persons were given adequate compensation. Members also wanted the government to find out whether the claims made by the Wakf Board on properties in Delhi were made after following the procedure prescribed in the Wakf Act, 1954.