In Waqf Bill Row, Trinamool’s Kalyan Banerjee Smashes Glass, Injures Thumb

New Delhi: There was drama, and broken glass and bandages, Tuesday – courtesy Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee – as a joint parliamentary committee met to study amendments to the Waqf Board Bill.

The energetic Mr Banerjee – who made headlines December after mimicking Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, as opposition MPs protested on Parliament’s steps – slammed a glass bottle on the table while arguing with Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a BJP MP and ex judge of the Calcutta High Court.

Mr Banerjee injured his right hand and had to be given first aid; he was escorted from the Parliament’s medical centre – where he was treated for a 1.5-centimetre laceration on his right thumb and a cut on his little finger – by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AIMIM MP and chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Visuals shared by news agency PTI showed Mr Banerjee returning from the visit to the doctor, with Mr Singh and Mr Owaisi flanking him, and the Trinamool leader being fed soup by a staffer.

Mr Banerjee – who refused to speak to reporters after the incident – has been suspended from the committee’s next meeting; a resolution to that effect was tabled by the BJP’s Nishikant Dubey.

Sources told NDTV a ‘scuffle’ broke as two Odisha organisations were making a presentation, the relevance of which was questioned by the opposition MPs.

Mr Banerjee was apparently speaking out of turn; he was determined to make a point as Mr Gangopadhyay was speaking, but the BJP MP was equally determined to not concede.

#WATCH | Delhi: Meeting of the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) on the Waqf Bill begins at the Parliament Annexe. It was halted briefly after a scuffle broke out during the meeting.

According to eyewitnesses to the incident, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee picked up a glass water… pic.twitter.com/vTR7xMwOb5

— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2024

A spat broke out and both MPs began using unparliamentary language, sources said. It was then that an incensed Mr Banerjee then slammed the glass bottle on the table.

The committee met last week too, and there was drama then as well.

Opposition MPs boycotted that meet claiming a “biased” committee and demanding that BJP MP Jagdambika Pal be removed as Chairperson. “We boycotted because the committee is not functioning (as per) principles and norms… In terms of ethics they are wrong,” the Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant said.

READ | Opposition MPs Boycott Parliamentary Committee Meet On Waqf Bill

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled in Parliament in August and, amid furious protests from opposition MPs, sent to the joint committee for further study.

Back in August, in the feisty exchange that followed the proposals being tabled, the Congress called it a “draconian” measure, an “attack on the federal system”, and a violation of fundamental rights.

READ | Opposition Targets Non-Muslims Provision In “Draconian” Waqf Bill

Other opposition leaders, including Mr Owaisi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, also objected to the alterations in the Waqf laws, including the make-up of central and state boards – which could now include non-Muslims – and the councils’ ability to earmark land for various purposes.

At least three BJP allies – including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, both of whom are critical in Mr Modi’s party maintaining its government – have also spoken out against the Waqf Amendment Bill.

READ | In Waqf Bill Row, Nitish Kumar Is 3rd BJP Ally To Raise Red Flags

Speaking after the opposition had its say, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ripped into his rivals, declaring previous central governments (referring to those led by the Congress) could not address this issue, and that had forced the BJP-led administration to introduce these amendments.

READ | Waqf Law Change To Help Women, Say Government Sources

Among the proposed changes (apart from including non-Muslim members) is a provision to include at least two women on every board, including the Central Council. Sources have told NDTV the idea is to empower Muslim women and children who “suffered” under the old law.

With input from agencies

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