'Physically threaten...': BJP MP Tejasvi Surya levels big accusation on Congress, Opposition during Waqf Board JPC hearing

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has levelled a big accusation on opposition members, claiming that they had threatened Jagdambika Pal, the chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, as well as a witness during a recent meeting. In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Surya alleged that opposition MPs engaged in "unparliamentary behaviour" during the October 14 meeting, when former Karnataka State Minorities Commission chairperson Anwar Manippady was invited to present his views on the Waqf land "scam" in Karnataka.

According to the PTI report, Surya claimed that the opposition's disruptive actions took place when Manippady discussed a report he had submitted in 2012. This report allegedly detailed large-scale encroachment and the sale of approximately 2,000 acres of Waqf land, valued at around ₹2 lakh crore, to private entities. Surya stated that the report implicated several Congress leaders in the scandal.

Surya's letter highlighted that the opposition MPs allegedly disrupted the proceedings, verbally threatened both Pal and the witness, and even tore up documents related to the committee’s work. He accused them of showing complete disregard for parliamentary rules and decorum. "They walked near where the witness and chairperson were seated, tried to physically threaten both, and snatched and tore up the notes and papers they had made," Surya alleged. He also claimed that after these actions, the opposition members walked out of the meeting while making derogatory remarks towards other committee members.

In response, at least 12 opposition MPs submitted their own letter to Speaker Om Birla, accusing JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal of conducting the meeting in a "biased and partisan manner." The opposition members alleged that there was a "gross violation of parliamentary code of conduct" during the JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill and expressed concerns about how the discussions were being handled. They claimed Pal's actions favored the ruling party’s narrative, stifling a fair and balanced discussion.

Despite these allegations, Surya stood firm in his claims that the opposition's conduct was inappropriate. He called on Speaker Birla to ensure that opposition MPs adhere to the Rules of Conduct and Parliamentary Etiquette, demanding disciplinary action against those involved in the disruption.

This confrontation reflects the larger tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition parties over the Waqf Amendment Bill, particularly regarding the controversial allegations of mismanagement of Waqf properties in Karnataka. The heated exchange in the JPC highlights the political divide on the issue, which involves religious and economic stakes.