
TMC MPs Suspended from JPC Meeting on Waqf Bill Amid Accusations of Disruption
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 witnessed a tumultuous turn of events, leading to the suspension of all opposition MPs participating in the committee. This dramatic development unfolded amidst accusations of disruption and attempts to create confusion by TMC leaders.
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul criticized TMC's tactics, stating that this was not an isolated incident. She questioned the message the party aimed to convey and highlighted their inconsistent stance. Paul further alleged that TMC's actions were motivated by a desire to appease a specific community.
BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh echoed similar sentiments, describing Kalyan Banerjee, a TMC MP and JPC member, as "unfit for parliament." He condemned Banerjee's behavior both in social life and within the parliament, claiming it undermined democratic principles. Ghosh accused Banerjee of deliberately disrupting the proceedings to send a message to the minority community.
The suspended MPs include Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), A Raja (DMK), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Nasir Hussain (SP), Mohibbullah Nadvi (SP), M. Abdullah (SP), Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena UBT), Nadimul Haque (Shiv Sena UBT), and Imran Masood (Congress).
Kalyan Banerjee, while referring to the events within the JPC meeting, asserted that the situation amounted to an "undeclared emergency." He claimed that the meeting's subject and dates were altered after the MPs arrived in Delhi for the session. Banerjee accused the government of rushing the process due to the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
He detailed how the MPs were notified late about the meeting and were expected to submit amendments by an unreasonable deadline. Additionally, the scheduled clause-by-clause discussion was replaced with a meeting on a different date, despite objections from the opposition. Banerjee concluded by stating that the government's actions were politically motivated and disrespectful towards the opposition.