New Delhi: A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 turned chaotic, resulting in the suspension of 10 opposition MPs for a day. The suspended MPs include Kalyan Banerjee, Md. Jawaid, A Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M. Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haq, and Imran Masood.

The turmoil began when opposition members claimed they weren't given sufficient time to study the proposed changes to the draft legislation. TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee accused JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal of not listening to the opposition and conducting the proceedings in an authoritarian manner.

"After 21st January late session, chairman informed the members that meeting will be held on 24th and 25th January. Other members protested and wrote a letter. We request to schedule the meeting after 30th or 31st but the chairman did not listen to us. So we came by postponing all our programmes. Yesterday midnight we got the message that there is a change of agenda, there won't be a clockwise discussion but meeting will be held on 24th and 27th but not on 25th (January). What is happening inside is like undeclared Emergency proceedings," Banerjee said.

He alleged that the ruling party is trying to rush the proceedings due to the upcoming Delhi elections, calling it "politically motivated".

"They are trying to hurry up things because of Delhi elections... It is politically motivated. The chairman doesn't listen to anyone... it is like 'jamindari'. They don't give any respect to the opposition members. This JPC has become a farce," he added.

Congress MP Nasir Hussain echoed Banerjee's concerns, stating that the chairman should consider the number of days earlier JPCs on Waqf and other issues have functioned. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive report, rather than rushing to submit it for political gain.

In response, BJP MP and JPC member Nishikant Dubey accused the opposition of creating a ruckus and acting against parliamentary democracy. He claimed that the opposition, particularly Owaisi, believed that Jammu and Kashmir's full representation was not heard, and that elected representatives should have been called.

This isn't the first time a JPC meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 has ended in chaos. In October, a scuffle broke out between Kalyan Banerjee and BJP's Abhijit Gangopadhyay during a meeting, resulting in Banerjee injuring himself.