TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee breaks glass bottle following heated exchanges during JPC meet

New Delhi: Heated exchanges between Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee and BJP MP Abhijit Ganguly during a JPC meeting on Tuesday resulted in the former smashing a glass water bottle and hurting himself. During the JPC meeting held on Waqf Bill, many eminent personalities, including retired judges and Supreme Court lawyers, were present.

According to the sources, Kalyan Banerjee wanted to speak out of turn. He had already spoken thrice and wanted to get a chance again during the presentation. But BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay objected. This ensued a heated exchange between them, where sources said both used abusive language.

Meanwhile, Kalyan Banerjee picked up a glass water bottle, hit it on the table and hurt himself. After this, he threw the broken bottle towards the chairman. Due to the incident, the meeting adjourned for some time. Soon after, Banerjee was taken for medical aid, wherein he received four stitches in his hand.

In today’s meeting, the committee is hearing views and suggestions from representatives of Justice in Reality and Panchasakha Prachar, both based in Cuttack, Odisha. A delegation of five MPs from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is also presenting their perspectives on the bill.

The committee met on Monday, inviting officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs to provide oral evidence regarding the bill. This meeting is part of a larger national initiative to address long-standing issues related to the management of waqf properties. On Monday, discussions during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting became heated as opposition members questioned the consultative process behind the legislation.

They accused the government of introducing the bill for political reasons, alleging it targeted the Muslim community. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi presented a nearly one-hour critique of the bill, raising concerns about its implications. Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee even asked whether Waqf, which exists in the name of Allah, is legally recognized by the state. Despite the tensions, BJP members defended the bill, arguing that it is necessary for reforming Waqf property management and ensuring transparency. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to bring significant reforms, including digitization of records, stricter audits, increased transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied waqf properties.