Days after Kalyan Banerjee row, oppn stages walkout over Waqf bill report, session sees verbal spat again
New Delhi/IBNS: Days after Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass water bottle during an argument with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Abhijit Ganguly on the Waqf bill, the ruling party and the oppositions engaged in a verbal spat once again as judges and Waqf administrators of different states appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Panel on Monday, media reports said.
Monday's meeting was held for the first time after TMC member Kalyan Banerjee's suspension for unruly conduct.
AAP member Sanjay Singh objected to the examination of a report submitted by the Delhi Waqf Board administrator Ashwini Kumar stating that the same was not approved by the Delhi Chief Minister.
The issue led to a heated exchange between the ruling and opposition members leading to a walkout by opposition members.
#WATCH | Delhi: Opposition MPs walked out from the JPC meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill pic.twitter.com/dcPntAmvls
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2024
Opposition members also struck off their signatures from the attendance roster before walking out, said reports.
Last week, Kalyan Banerjee, who is a TMC MP from Serampore in West Bengal's Hooghly district, smashed a glass water bottle during an argument with Abhijit Ganguly.
Banerjee injured his thumb and index finger during the altercation.
He reportedly received four stitches in his hand.
Banerjee was suspended for one day and two sittings under rule 261 and 374(1)(2) of the Lok Sabha for his words against the Chairman of the Committee, Jagdambika Pal and for his behaviour of throwing a broken bottle at the Speaker, reported News 18.
The Joint Parliamentary Panel aims to reform the Waqf Act, 1995, addressing past inefficiencies.
Emphasizing transparency and inclusivity, the Waqf bill proposes reforms like digitization and accountability measures. With various stakeholders, including legal and community representatives, engaged, the JPC continues its series of discussions to refine the bill.