Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: A heated clash broke out between members of the ruling BJP and opposition MPs during a parliamentary committee meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Tuesday. The confrontation led to a walkout by opposition MPs for the second consecutive day, who accused BJP members of using offensive language and the committee chairperson of failing to maintain order.
The dispute started following a contentious exchange between BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Dilip Saikia, Abhijit Ganguly, and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, along with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, over the proposal to include women in Waqf boards. The opposition claimed that the committee’s chairperson, Jagdambika Pal, was not adhering to parliamentary rules and had not taken action against the BJP MPs for their alleged misconduct.
Tensions Over Waqf (Amendment) Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced by the Centre on July 28, was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after facing strong objections from opposition parties. Since then, discussions on the bill have been fraught with tension, culminating in the walkout this week.
On Monday, the opposition walked out after Anwar Manippady, the former chairperson of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of involvement in Waqf land scams. Manippady was among those invited to give testimony on the bill.
Opposition MPs argued that it is against parliamentary rules to make “unproven allegations” against “high dignitaries” during committee meetings. Despite their protests, the committee chairperson allowed the deposition to continue, which further angered the opposition members.
Concerns Over Massive Submissions on the Bill
Last month, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Jagdambika Pal, expressing concerns over the 1.25 crore submissions received on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Dubey called for an investigation by the Union Home Ministry, suggesting that fundamentalist groups, individuals like Zakir Naik, or “foreign powers” might be influencing the discussions on the bill.
The ongoing disputes between the ruling and opposition parties underscore the sensitive nature of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, with both sides standing firm on their respective positions.
