Waqf Bill JPC Meeting : TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee Creates Ruckus ; Throws Water Bottle At Chair, Suspended For One- Day

In a rather unfortunate and ugly incident Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee was suspended for one day from the parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill after high drama during its meeting where he smashed a glass water bottle and threw it towards the Chair while injuring his fingers in the process.

The committee’s chairperson and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party MP Jagdambika Pal condemned the conduct of Banerjee, a rather vocal parliamentarian who has been strident in his criticism of the Bill. He said such actions were ‘unprecedented’ and crossed all limits.

As MPs enjoy privilege, does it mean someone will appear with a revolver tomorrow, Pal told reporters, adding he had a narrow escape.

During the meeting, Banerjee was involved in an ugly spat with BJP MP and former Calcutta high court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay — not for the first time — as expletives were hurled with both members attacking each other in Bengali.

Pal said it has become the TMC member’s habit to use cuss words while some opposition members claimed that Gangopadhyay also targeted him.

Banerjee ended up with cuts on the thumb and the little finger in his right hand as a stunned Pal adjourned the meeting. He was administered stitches at a medical dispensary in the parliament complex.

The committee later took up a motion moved by BJP member Nishikant Dubey to suspend Banerjee for one day, whenever the next meeting takes place, for his conduct towards the Chair. Votes were divided 10-8, with the ruling alliance and opposition members polling on partisan lines.

Sources said Banerjee expressed regret for smashing the bottle and claimed that he never meant to throw it towards Pal, while still accusing him of ‘biased’ behaviour in his post on X .