NEW DELHI, Jan 24: A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill turned chaotic on Friday as 10 opposition MPs were suspended for the entire day following a heated argument over the bill. The meeting, chaired by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal, was disrupted by opposition members who alleged that they had not been given enough time to study the draft of the bill, which was brought up for discussion.
The opposition MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee, Mohammad Javed, A. Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M. Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haque, and Imran Masood, raised concerns over the speed with which the government sought to pass the bill, especially considering the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The opposition also demanded that the meeting be postponed until January 30 or 31 to allow for a detailed, clause-by-clause discussion.
As the disruption escalated, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey proposed the suspension of the 10 opposition MPs, accusing them of using unparliamentary language and attempting to suppress the majority’s voice. The proposal was accepted by the committee.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who appeared before the committee after the suspension, voiced strong opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that the government should not intervene in religious matters. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that Muslims do not feel marginalized by any proposed changes and expressed hope that their suggestions would be considered.
Before being suspended, opposition MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee of TMC and Congress member Syed Nasir Hussain, walked out of the meeting, calling the proceedings a “farce.” Banerjee compared the atmosphere to an “undeclared emergency,” accusing the chairman of not listening to anyone.
Dubey, in response, claimed that the opposition’s actions violated parliamentary traditions and disrupted the democratic process. Arvind Sawant, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, criticized the rushed handling of the bill, warning that it could potentially cause unrest in the country. He questioned why the bill was being fast-tracked instead of being properly debated.
