Chaos Erupts at Joint Parliamentary Committee Meeting Over Waqf Bill: TMC MP Injured in Heated Clash

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, October 22, 2024, New Delhi :  A heated altercation broke out during a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting in Delhi on Monday, leading to injuries for Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee. The incident occurred during a tense debate over the contentious Waqf Bill, which escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in Banerjee sustaining injuries to his hand from a broken glass bottle.

According to sources, the fracas began when Banerjee entered into a verbal spat with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs, particularly Abhijit Gangopadhyay. As the discussion on the Waqf Bill grew more heated, tempers flared, and Kalyan Banerjee reportedly smashed a glass water bottle on the table in frustration. In the process, his hand was cut by the shards of broken glass, causing significant injuries to his thumb and index finger.

Witnesses claim that the chaos took a dramatic turn when Banerjee allegedly attempted to throw the broken bottle towards the chairman’s desk, although this claim has been denied by Banerjee’s party colleagues. Amid the confusion, BJP MPs accused Banerjee of using inappropriate language during the argument.

Following the injury, Banerjee was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he received four stitches for his wounds. Despite the injury, Banerjee returned to the meeting later, escorted back by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.

The meeting, chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, was convened to hear the opinions of a panel of retired judges and legal experts on the proposed Waqf Bill. The discussions took a contentious turn when opposition MPs, including those from TMC, raised objections to certain aspects of the bill. The disagreement soon spiraled into a verbal clash, culminating in the altercation.

The incident has sparked outrage across the political spectrum, with many expressing concern over the lack of decorum during parliamentary proceedings. Several MPs present during the incident confirmed that the atmosphere in the room was highly charged, with some accusing Banerjee of crossing a line by using inappropriate language. However, others have downplayed the severity of the altercation, stating that the intensity of the debate led to an unfortunate but unintentional incident.

The Waqf Bill, which aims to revise and regulate the administration of Waqf properties, has been a point of contention between the ruling and opposition parties, with the opposition alleging that the bill undermines the rights of minority communities. Monday’s meeting was intended to address these concerns, but the fiery exchanges overshadowed the substance of the discussions.

As the dust settles from the incident, parliamentary leaders are calling for an investigation into the matter and stressing the importance of maintaining decorum during such crucial meetings. The Joint Parliamentary Committee is expected to resume its work on the Waqf Bill once tensions cool and the injured MP fully recovers.