Oppn MPs Storm Out Of JPC Meeting On Waqf Bill, Kalyan Banerjee Says 'Entire Proceeding Is A Mockery'
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, DMK's A Raja, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP's Sanjay Singh, and TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee protested against the conduct of committee chairperson Pal.
Opposition members on Wednesday stormed out of the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, alleging that its proceedings have become a mockery.
The opposition leaders left the meeting midway saying that the committee chairman Jagdambika Pal had announced to table the draft of Waqf (Amendment) report of JPC on November 29, which all opposition parties have boycotted. The opposition leaders have also demanded have demanded an extension of the JPC.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, DMK's A Raja, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP's Sanjay Singh, and TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee protested against the conduct of committee chairperson Pal, alleging that he was eager to conclude its proceedings by the November 29 deadline without actually carrying out the due process.
AIMIM MP Owaisi said that the report cannot be submitted by November 29 deadline as several stakeholders who wanted to come were not allowed to join in and that the committee did not visit Bengal and Bihar. He also explained the steps of the entire procedure that had to be followed, which he alleged did not happen.
"The mandate is that the report should be given on 29th (November). How can we give it, there is a procedure that must be followed which has not been done... Most importantly, this committee hasn't visited Bihar, West Bengal... There are many stakeholders that we want them to come. Why this committee is not allowing all the stakeholders to come?"
#WATCH | AIMIM MP and JPC member, Asaduddin Owaisi says, "The mandate is that the report should be given on 29th (November). How can we give it, there is a procedure that must be followed which has not been done... Most importantly, this committee hasn't visited Bihar, West… https://t.co/NiAQy0ecMU pic.twitter.com/rNiqdjntR5
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2024
However, the protesting MPs returned to the meeting around an hour later as there were indications that JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal might seek an extension to the panel's term.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday sought more time for JPC on the Waqf bill, days after Opposition MPs made the same demand. He moved the resolution during a meeting of the Parliamentary panel today. The development came hours after Opposition MPs staged a walkout of the meeting.
Gogoi stated that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had hinted at the extension of the committee, which he alleged looked like some "big minister" directing Pal's action.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee called it a "mockery". He claimed that the states that have a maximum number of Waqf property weren't invited for discussion. Banerjee further referred to the Sambhal clashes as he hit out at the committee for not taking things seriously despite the death of people.
#WATCH | TMC MP and JPC member Kalyan Banerjee says, "The fundamental thing is this - only those people who have associations and are close to the BJP were brought and days have been wasted. The states that have maximum Waqf property weren't called, including Delhi. 7 persons… https://t.co/NiAQy0ecMU pic.twitter.com/cLutCavNhv
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2024
Slamming the BJP, AAP MP Sanjay Singh spoke about the Sambhal violence and claimed that it was a "government-sponsored violence". He said that the conflict was not about Hindus and Muslims but "people were killed by the government".
"There is a one-party rule in this, and the name of that party is 'Bharatiya Jagda Party'. They only want a 'jagda' and 'bawal' in the country. What happened in Sambhal...It was a Waqf property but the DM forcefully conducted a survey and violence erupted in which five people lost their lives. It was not a conflict between a Hindu and a Muslim, but five people were killed by the government. It was a government-sponsored violence," says
VIDEO | "There is a one-party rule in this, and the name of that party is 'Bharatiya Jagda Party'. They only want a 'jagda' and 'bawal' in the country. What happened in Sambhal... It was a Waqf property but the DM forcefully conducted a survey and violence erupted in which five… pic.twitter.com/to72SVk7lz
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 27, 2024
YSR Congress MP V Vijaysai Reddy said all parties not allied with the BJP wanted an extension but Pal called for finishing its work so that the report could be tabled in the Lok Sabha on November 29.
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