Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee has been suspended from one session of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 following a heated altercation on Tuesday with BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The incident occurred during a meeting to discuss the Waqf Bill, resulting in Banerjee reportedly smashing a glass water bottle, injuring himself, and throwing the broken bottle towards JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal.
According to sources, Banerjee was suspended for the next session by a division of vote, which ended 9-7 in favor of his temporary removal under rule 347. As a result, he will be barred from attending the upcoming meeting. After the suspension, Banerjee left the session to seek medical aid for his injury, which required four stitches.
The conflict erupted when Banerjee, who had already spoken multiple times during the meeting, sought another opportunity to speak out of turn. His request was challenged by BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay, leading to a heated exchange where both MPs allegedly used abusive language. In the midst of the argument, Banerjee grabbed a glass water bottle, smashed it on the table, injuring his hand in the process, and subsequently threw the broken bottle towards the chairman. The meeting was adjourned briefly following the incident.
The JPC meeting was attended by several notable figures, including retired judges and Supreme Court lawyers, and focused on gathering feedback and suggestions regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Representatives from ‘Justice in Reality’ and ‘Panchasakha Prachar,’ organizations based in Cuttack, Odisha, presented their perspectives, along with a delegation from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
The Waqf Bill has sparked significant debate, with opposition members accusing the government of introducing the legislation for political reasons, claiming it unfairly targets the Muslim community.