BJP demands FIR against Kalyan Banerjee for JPC 'violence'

NEW DELHI: A day after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass bottle and hurled it at the chair during a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee ( JPC ) on Waqf Bill , three BJP MPs, who are part of the panel, on Wednesday demanded filing of an FIR against the TMC member and his immediate suspension from the Lok Sabha pending investigation into the incident, which they described as "unprecedented violence".

The day also saw the opposition levelling allegations that committee chairperson Jagdambika Pal violated norms by going public about the incident that happened amid an ugly spat between Banerjee and BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay during the sitting of the panel.

However, Pal rejected the allegations, saying, "I have not revealed any proceedings or deliberations of the committee. I have only made a statement about an incident of violence during the committee meeting by a member, and his subsequent suspension."

BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Aparajita Sarangi, and Gangopadhyay have lodged a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking an investigation into the matter by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee to consider rescinding Banerjee's membership from the House.

In their joint letter to the speaker, the BJP MPs said they along with other members of the panel witnessed the "act of goondaism and unpardonable violence" by Banerjee.

"The goondaism and unpardonable violence exhibited by Kalyan Banerjee has surpassed all limits of a civilised behaviour expected from a Member of Parliament which has now become an act of life-threatening attack on the chairperson, Jagdambika Pal," they noted.

"Therefore, the same calls for stringent action by your goodself as otherwise our cherished parliamentary system of governance would be tarnished beyond repair," the MPs said in their letter.

"In terms of Rule 316B (a) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the unethical conduct of Kalyan Banerjee, Member of Parliament, may be referred to the Committee on Ethics for examination, investigation and report for considering rescinding his membership," they demanded. Pending further action against him, Banerjee may be suspended from proceedings of the House and its committees, and also barred from entering the Parliament Estate till the conclusion of the inquiry against him, the BJP MPs added.