TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee breaks glass bottle after heated exchange with BJP leader in Waqf Bill meeting

Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee on Tuesday smashed a glass water bottle during a heated exchange with BJP leader Abhijit Gangopadhyay at a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and AAP leader Sanjay Singh later escorted the TMP MP out for treatment.

The committee, chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, was listening to the views of a group of retired judges and lawyers when the opposition members questioned what was their stake in the bill.

The meeting was halted after the scuffle.

An eyewitness told ANI that TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee slammed the water bottle on the table and hurt himself by accident.

On Monday, the JPC meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 witnessed heated exchanges as opposition members raised questions on "the consultative process" over the legislation and BJP members countered them.

Some opposition members accused the government of bringing the bill for political reasons and alleged that it was aimed at targeting the Muslim community. They also raised questions over the "urgency" of bringing the bill.

Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has asked whether Waqf, "which exists in the name of Allah, was legally recognized by the state.

BJP members have defended the bill, arguing it was necessary for "reforming Waqf property management and ensuring transparency".

The Waqf Joint Parliamentary Committee has held 15 meetings in Delhi, while 5 meetings have been held in other cities.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to bring reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.

The JPC has been holding a series of meetings to take the opinions of government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members and community representatives from different states and Union Territories.