New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) – TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was suspended for one day from the parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill following a dramatic incident during its meeting on Tuesday. Banerjee smashed a glass water bottle and hurled it towards the Chair, injuring his fingers in the process.
The committee’s chairperson, veteran BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, condemned Banerjee’s behavior, calling it “unprecedented” and beyond acceptable limits. Pal, who narrowly escaped being hit, expressed serious concern, stating, “As MPs enjoy privilege, does it mean someone will bring a revolver tomorrow?”
Banerjee has been vocal in his criticism of the Bill.
During the meeting, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee got into a heated altercation with BJP MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The exchange quickly turned ugly, with both members hurling expletives at each other in Bengali—a confrontation not occurring for the first time. While committee chairperson Jagdambika Pal noted Banerjee’s frequent use of foul language, opposition members claimed that Gangopadhyay also engaged in the verbal attacks.
Pal and other members attempted to diffuse the situation when Banerjee suddenly picked up a glass bottle, smashed it, and threw it towards Pal. In the process, Banerjee sustained cuts on his thumb and little finger on his right hand. The stunned chairperson immediately adjourned the meeting, and Banerjee was given stitches at the parliament’s medical dispensary.
The committee later voted on a motion, introduced by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, to suspend TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee for one day during the next meeting, in response to his actions towards the Chair. The vote was split along party lines, with a 10-8 result in favor of suspension, supported by the ruling alliance and opposed by the opposition.
Sources revealed that Banerjee expressed regret for smashing the bottle but claimed he did not intend to throw it at Jagdambika Pal, while still accusing the Chair of “biased” behavior. Pal rejected these accusations, stating that he has allowed all members to speak and would step down as Chair if there were complaints about his fairness.
BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who had been involved in the verbal spat with Banerjee, was visibly upset with the decision, feeling that a one-day suspension was insufficient and that the motion did not address the verbal abuse he endured. Sources indicated he may raise the issue at a higher level.
When asked about further action, Pal stated that he had informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the incident, describing Banerjee’s conduct as “a criminal act” that could have caused serious harm. He added that such behavior undermined parliamentary democracy.
The committee’s meetings have often been contentious, with opposition members accusing the Chair of inviting organizations unrelated to Waqf matters, including those advocating for Hindu causes, while BJP members charged opposition MPs with deliberately disrupting the proceedings. During Tuesday’s session, the committee heard the views of two Odisha-based organizations, Justice in Reality and Panchasakha Bani Prachar, both of which included retired judges and lawyers. Opposition members questioned their relevance to the Bill, though the groups supported the amendments and provided additional suggestions.
A BJP member noted that Kalyan Banerjee was the first to speak when the meeting began and was allowed several interventions by the Chair. However, when he requested another turn to speak, Chairperson Jagdambika Pal declined, sparking a heated exchange between Banerjee and Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who objected to the repeated disruptions.
In the afternoon session, MPs from the Kerala-based Indian Union Muslim League presented their opposition to the proposed amendments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was referred to a joint parliamentary committee after its introduction in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session. The Bill proposes significant changes to the Waqf Act, including ensuring representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in Waqf bodies and renaming the Waqf Act, 1995, as the “Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.”
The Bill also seeks to remove Section 40 of the current law, which gives the Waqf Board the power to determine if a property is Waqf property. Additionally, it aims to broaden the composition of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards, ensuring inclusivity by providing representation for Muslim women and non-Muslims.
Furthermore, the Bill proposes the creation of a separate Board of Auqaf for Bohras and Agakhanis and mandates the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis, and other backward classes within Muslim communities.
Source: msn
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