A meeting of the Joint Committee on the Waqf Bill took a ugly turn on Tuesday when TMC member Kalyan Banerjee smashed a glass water bottle during a heated argument with BJP member Abhijit Gangopadhyay. In the altercation, Banerjee injured his thumb and index finger, necessitating first aid. He was later escorted back to the meeting room by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and AAP's Sanjay Singh, with officials also offering him soup.
The committee, led by BJP's Jagdambika Pal, was hearing testimonies from a group of retired judges and lawyers when opposition members raised concerns about their interest in the bill. The meeting took place at the Parliament Annexe in New Delhi, where representatives from Justice in Reality and Panchasakha Prachar based in Cuttack, Odisha, shared their views. Additionally, a five-MP delegation from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) provided their insights on the Waqf Bill. On the previous day, officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs were invited to give oral evidence regarding the legislation.