Tension Rises Over Waqf Bill as Kalyan Banerjee Gets Injured
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was presented in Parliament in August, has sparked fierce opposition. Critics have described it as a "draconian" measure that undermines the federal system and violates fundamental rights.
New Delhi: A joint parliamentary committee meeting to discuss amendments to the Waqf Board Bill turned chaotic on Tuesday, thanks to Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who broke a glass bottle during a heated argument and injured his hand.
The incident occurred as Mr. Banerjee clashed with BJP MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay. Known for his spirited demeanor, Mr. Banerjee slammed the glass on the table while expressing his views, resulting in a 1.5-centimeter cut on his right thumb and a laceration on his little finger. He received first aid at the Parliament’s medical center and was escorted out by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
Visuals shared by the news agency PTI showed Mr. Banerjee returning from medical treatment, flanked by Mr. Singh and Mr. Owaisi, with a staffer feeding him soup. Following the incident, Mr. Banerjee declined to comment to reporters and has since been suspended from the committee’s next meeting, as proposed by BJP’s Nishikant Dubey.
Sources indicated that tensions flared during a presentation by two Odisha organizations, which opposition MPs questioned the relevance of. Mr. Banerjee, allegedly speaking out of turn, insisted on making his point while Mr. Gangopadhyay was speaking, leading to an exchange of unparliamentary language between the two MPs. In a fit of anger, Mr. Banerjee smashed the glass bottle on the table.
This is not the first instance of drama surrounding the Waqf Board Bill. During a prior meeting last week, opposition MPs staged a boycott, labeling the committee as “biased” and demanding the removal of BJP MP Jagdambika Pal as Chairperson. “We boycotted because the committee is not functioning according to principles and norms… In terms of ethics, they are wrong,” remarked Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was presented in Parliament in August, has sparked fierce opposition. Critics have described it as a “draconian” measure that undermines the federal system and violates fundamental rights.
Other opposition leaders, including Mr. Owaisi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, have raised concerns over proposed changes to Waqf laws, including the inclusion of non-Muslims in central and state boards and the councils’ authority to allocate land for various purposes.
Even at least three BJP allies, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, have voiced their discontent with the Waqf Amendment Bill, critical for the BJP in maintaining its governing coalition.
In response to opposition criticisms, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju attacked rival parties, asserting that previous central governments, specifically those led by the Congress, failed to address these issues, prompting the BJP-led government to introduce the amendments.
Among the proposed changes are provisions to include at least two women on every board, including the Central Council, aiming to empower Muslim women and children who “suffered” under the previous law.
