Jagdambika Pal ‘Spoke On Phone, Then Suspended Us’: Oppn MPs Write To LS Speaker, JPC Chief Alleges ‘Abuses’
In the letter, the MPs accused Pal of rushing the JPC proceedings without "application of the mind", and even opined that he does not have the power to suspend the members of the Committee.
The Opposition MPs, who are members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after being suspended by panel's Chairman Jagdambika Pal following a ruckus in the Friday meeting. The MPs have accused Pal of humiliating them and alleged that he suspended them suddenly after talking over the phone with an unidentified person.
Earlier today, Pal suspended ten opposition members from attending the parliamentary panel meeting for a day as they accused him of steamrolling through the proceedings, reducing them to a farce. However, the JPC chief alleged he was "abused" by the Opposition members, who he said tried to disrupt the proceedings in a bid to stall it.
"When the meeting started today at 11.00 AM, we the members of the opposition vehemently raised our voice with utmost respect against the way of conducting the business by the Chairman. We highlighted the unilateral as well as unfair manner of functioning of JPC by ignoring the due process contemplated in the rules. It is respectfully submitted that since the erstwhile served notice scheduled for the meeting on 24th and 25th, we the members designed our programs in the Constituency/States from 27 to 30th as the Parliament Session starts on 31st and thereby prayed for postponement of the 27th meeting," they wrote in the letter.
"While we put forth these reasonable claims in a civilised manner to the Chairman, he has not even attempted to respond. As we all felt humiliated, we stood and raised our voices democratically to hear our demands. Meanwhile, the Chairman spoke on the phone with somebody and suddenly and surprisingly, he ordered our suspension by shouting," the letter added.
In the letter, the MPs accused Pal of rushing the committee proceedings without "application of the mind" and even opined that he does not have the power to suspend the members of the Committee.
The MPs were suspended after BJP member Nishikant Dubey moved the motion for their suspension, which was adopted by the Committee. The suspended members include TMC's Kalyan Banerjee and Nadeem-ul Haque, Mohammad Jawed, Imran Masood and Syed Naseer Hussain (Congress), DMK leaders A Raja and Mohamed Abdullah, Mohibullah (SP), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), and Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena-UBT).
The MPs further stated that the JPC needs to conduct a comprehensive study to address the issues raised by stakeholders and rushing proceedings without "application of the mind" by Pal is "nothing but a riddle wrapped with hidden malice".
They demanded the proceedings be conducted with transparency and stressed that the January 27 meeting be postponed to get enough time to put forth their claims, ensuring procedure is conducted democratically.
"It is our opinion that the Chairman of a JPC does not have the power to suspend the members of the Committee. It is therefore prayed that the Chairman of the JPC may kindly be instructed to conduct the proceedings in a transparent and fair manner. The Chairman should postpone the 27th meeting so that the opposition members can get the adequate time and opportunity to put forth our plea/claims without any departure from the rules and procedure to ensure the Parliament democracy on which the nation still has faith," they added.
Opposition MPs, who are members of the JPC on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and have been been suspended from the Committee today, write to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2025
"...When the meeting started today at 11.00 AM, we the members of opposition vehemently raised our voice with… pic.twitter.com/ULoc3Clxzo
Slamming Pal for "another act of arrogance", the MPs said that they got to know after coming out of the committee room following their suspensions that Pal had already announced a draft report on the Bill is going to be placed before the JPC on January 29.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi termed Banerjee's conduct as "disgusting" and said opposition members created a ruckus as part of a design to sabotage the panel meeting.
Oppn MPs 'Shouted Slogans, Abused Us': Pal
Slamming the Opposition MPs for the criticism, Pal said he was heading the committee in a democratic manner and allowed every opposition MP to register their view whenever they wanted.
He also alleged that the opposition members "abused" them and used "derogatory and unparliamentary language", compelling Nishikant Dubey to propose their suspension.
"A delegation had come (from Jammu and Kashmir) and the opposition (members) started shouting slogans and used derogatory and unparliamentary language. They abused us as well. Nishikant Dubey was then compelled to propose their suspension which was approved unanimously by all others. There was no change in agenda of the meeting. We held 34 meetings, called 250 stakeholders... no JPC has operated in such democratic manner," Pal said.
VIDEO | Here's what BJP MP Jagdambika Pal (@jagdambikapalmp), JPC chairman, said on Opposition members being suspended from Parliamentary panel on Waqf bill.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 24, 2025
"A delegation had come (from Jammu and Kashmir) and the opposition (members) started shouting slogans and used derogatory… pic.twitter.com/Ocm3Rbk2m5
He further accused the MPs of "weakening democracy" and hindering the proceedings of the meeting as part of their strategy to ultimately stall it.
"Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi was not even present in the meeting...I allowed all the JPC members to put forth their views. When I tried to answer their questions, they (opposition MPs) started sloganeering, making noise, using unparliamentary words...they created a lot of ruckus...They (opposition MPs) were not allowing the meeting to proceed...They tried to weaken democracy...It is part of their strategy to stall the proceedings of the meeting and they do not want the report to be submitted," the panel chairperson said.
#WATCH | Delhi: Chairman of JPC on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Jagdambika Pal says, "Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi was not even present in the meeting...I allowed all the JPC members to put forth their views. When I tried to answer their questions, they (opposition MPs) started… pic.twitter.com/zz42vSgAnS
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2025
Following the suspension of the Opposition MPs, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi had addressed a press conference, wherein he claimed that it wasn't the first time that the opposition leaders were suspended and that the decision looked like the government was moving forward in a "predetermined way".
VIDEO | Addressing a press conference on suspension of opposition MPs from parliamentary panel on Waqf Bill, including himself, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) says, "The (opposition) MPs have been a part of several JPCs in the past, and they know about the rules and… pic.twitter.com/SgFJOEIbmw
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 24, 2025
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