Fact Check: The Waqf Amendment Bill has been sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). However, it is being claimed on social media that the JPC has invited public opinions or suggestions on the Bill. On various social media platforms, users are sharing a mobile number, claiming that this number was issued by the government. The claim suggests that by giving a missed call to this number, people can vote in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill and support the demand to abolish the Waqf Board. However, when India TV investigated this claim, it was found to be false.
Viral post about the Waqf Amendment Bill
After the Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament, it was sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The JPC held its first meeting on August 22. Through advertisements in newspapers, public opinions were solicited, and a 15-day period was given for submission. However, these suggestions were to be submitted via email or post, and no mobile number was issued by the government. In fact, a Facebook user named "Rajesh Rashtriya Sarvopari" shared a post stating, "9209204204… If someone doesn’t know how to send an email to remove the Waqf Board, give a missed call to this number. Please do it. And send this to all your groups. Today is the last date, please offer some service for the nation."
What was revealed in the fact check?
When India TV investigated the post and checked this number by calling and on Truecaller, it was listed as "Waqf Board Spam." Additionally, the number was found to be inactive. According to the information available on the government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) website, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Muslim Waqf Repeal Bill 2024 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024. After that, they were sent to the JPC. On August 22, the first JPC meeting was held, and suggestions from the public were invited through newspaper advertisements. These suggestions were to be sent via email (jpcwaqf-lss@sansad.nic.in) or to the Lok Sabha Secretariat (Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat, Room No. 440, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi, 110001). No phone number was issued for this purpose. Hence, the viral post was found to be spreading fake news.
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