10 opposition MPs on Friday were suspended for a day following chaos during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
The suspended MPs include Kalyan Banerjee, Md. Jawaid, A Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M. Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haq, and Imran Masood.
After the meeting, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee criticised the committee’s chairman, Jagdambika Pal, for allegedly disregarding opposition voices. Banerjee accused Pal of conducting the proceedings in a manner akin to a "jamindari," implying an authoritarian approach.
"We repeatedly requested the meeting to be held on January 30 and 31, but our requests were ignored. When we landed in Delhi last night, the subject of the meeting was changed. Initially, we were informed that the meeting would proceed clause by clause. What is happening inside feels like an undeclared emergency. They are rushing through things because of the Delhi elections — it is politically motivated. The chairman doesn’t listen to anyone; it feels like 'jamindari'. They show no respect for opposition members. This JPC has become a farce," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slammed the Opposition for creating an uproar and acting against parliamentary democracy. He also moved the motion to suspend the opposition MPs, which was later approved by the panel.
Slamming the opposition over their conduct, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi said that it was "disgusting" as they were continuously creating chaos during the meeting and resorting to the use of unparliamentary language against the panel chief.
"Opposition leaders led by Kalyan Banerjee used very unparliamentary language against the JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal, a very senior leader. We condemn this. We want the meeting to be held but at the same time, JPC can not continue till eternity. The entire discussion has to come to an end," she said.
The parliamentary committee meeting began with opposition MPs accusing the government of not providing enough time to review proposed changes to the draft legislation.
Before inviting Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a religious leader from Kashmir, the committee discussed the Waqf Amendment Bill. Opposition leaders alleged that the BJP was rushing the report’s approval ahead of the Delhi elections.
Tensions during the discussions caused a brief adjournment. The committee resumed its session, during which the Mirwaiz-led delegation presented its views.
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee and Congress MP Naseer Hussain walked out, later telling reporters that the committee’s proceedings were a "farce."
The JPC meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 has faced disruptions before. In October last year, a confrontation erupted between Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee and BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay during a meeting. Banerjee smashed a glass bottle and threw it toward the committee’s chairperson, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. In the process, Banerjee sustained injuries.
