The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) bill descended into chaos once again as the Delhi Waqf Board voiced its support for the proposed changes. Sources indicate that IAS Ashwini Kumar, the administrator of the Delhi Waqf Board, backed the bill, prompting Opposition MPs to label his stance as “illegal.”
Opposition Challenges Administrator’s Legitimacy
Critics from the Opposition argued that the Delhi Waqf Board administrator is not Muslim and highlighted a legal stipulation that prohibits non-Muslims from serving on the board. A BJP MP referenced a past incident when former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appointed a Hindu administrator to the board, fueling further debate.
The Opposition also contended that the administrator presented his views without approval from the Delhi government, leading to calls for his accountability. “He (administrator) should be booked for fraud,” demanded certain Opposition members.
Walkout in Protest
During the meeting, Opposition MPs insisted that a representative from the Delhi government should be permitted to present its views to the parliamentary panel. This request was ultimately accepted by the panel’s chairperson. However, on Monday, the Opposition staged a walkout in protest against the Delhi Waqf Board’s presentation. AAP MP Sanjay Singh raised concerns that the presentation lacked vetting from the Delhi government, while other members alleged that the Waqf Board’s initial report had been altered without Chief Minister Atishi’s approval. Atishi also communicated to the committee that the presentation should be deemed “null and void.”
TMC MP’s Outburst
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who had been suspended for his unruly behavior in a previous meeting, was also present. He recounted the events leading up to his outburst, stating that he was provoked by BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who allegedly insulted him and his family. Banerjee said, “On that day, there was a hot exchange of words between Congress’s Nasir Hussain and Abhijit Gangopadhyay. I said why was he (Abhijit Gangopadhyay) shouting? Then he started abusing me, my mother, my father, and my wife.”
He further explained, “I never had the intention of throwing the bottle at the chairperson. The chairperson has no power to suspend the members; only the Speaker does. Abhijit Gangopadhyay is a black spot on the judiciary and a rotten man.”
