Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee smashes bottle during House panel meeting on Waqf Bill, suspended for a day

The meeting saw a heated exchange between Banerjee and BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

Members of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill leave after a meeting at Parliament House Annexe on October 22, 2024. Trinamool member Kalyan Banerjee (in green shirt) was suspended from the committee meeting after he smashed a glass bottle, hurting his thumb and index finger in the process, during a heated exchange with BJP’s Abhijit Gangopadhyay at the meeting. | Photo Credit: PTI

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee was on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) suspended for a day from the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, after he allegedly smashed a glass water bottle and threw it towards Chairperson and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. 

Sources said Mr. Banerjee had a heated exchange of words with the BJP’s Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court.

Mr. Banerjee wanted to intervene in a discussion, but was disallowed. At this point, he reportedly smashed the bottle and threw it at the Chairperson, hurting his thumb and a finger in the process.  

The sources said the panel voted by a majority of 9-8 on a resolution moved by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to suspend Mr. Banerjee for a day.

The Chairperson later told reporters that he had not witnessed such scenes at a parliamentary committee in his four-decade-long career. Mr. Pal said the Trinamool should introspect on the behaviour of their leader. “There is no place for violence in democracy,” Mr. Pal said.

He also rejected the Opposition’s allegation that he was making biased decisions. “I have always permitted everyone in the panel to speak and I have patiently heard them out. Mr. Banerjee was also allowed to make multiple interventions,” he added.  Mr. Banerjee refused to speak to reporters.

The committee was listening to the views of two organisations from Odisha — Justice in Reality and Panchasakha Bani Prachar Mandali. The Opposition raised questions on the connection of the organisations with the Waqf Bill.

On multiple occasions, the Opposition members have flagged concern about witnesses who have no stake in the Waqf properties or are not affected by them being called for the deliberations. 

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They had earlier objected to the Sanatan Sanstha, a registered charitable trust, which has been investigated for the murders of academic M.M. Kalburgi, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, CPI leader Govind Pansare, and journalist Gauri Lankesh, being called for deposition.

On October 14, the Opposition members staged a walkout, protesting against a presentation by Anwar Manippadi, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission.

Mr. Manippadi levelled allegations against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress leaders.

The Opposition has complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the issue. 

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was referred to the joint panel soon after being introduced in the Lok Sabha in the Monsoon Session.

Published - October 22, 2024 04:08 pm IST