Opposition MPs write to LS Speaker over ‘gross violation’ during Waqf bill meeting

At least 12 opposition lawmakers on Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging “gross violation of parliamentary code of conduct” in Waqf meeting.

At least 12 opposition lawmakers on Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging “gross violation of parliamentary code of conduct” in the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and accused panel chairman Jagbambika Pal of conducting the proceedings in a “biased and partisan manner.”

Several opposition MPs, including Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, DMK’s A Raja, and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, walked out of the meeting of the joint committee on the Waqf Bill on Tuesday. (PTI)

In a letter to the Speaker, seeking his immediate intervention, the Opposition MPs pointed to a deposition on Monday by Anwar Manippady, former Karnataka BJP vice-president and former chief of the state minority commission, who accused several Congress leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge of involving in a case of land grabbing, alleging numerous violations of the parliamentary code of conduct and rules of procedure took place on October 14.

Several opposition MPs, including Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, DMK’s A Raja, and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, walked out of the meeting of the joint committee on the Waqf Bill on Tuesday, alleging derogatory remarks against them by a BJP member. They boycotted the meeting on Monday as well.

In the letter, the Opposition lawmakers alleged that a note titled to be a presentation on the “Waqf Bill 2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012” contained no observations on the Waqf Bill. Instead, it was full of politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress, including Mallikarjun Kharge.

“Despite vehement protests by several committee members that Kharge occupies a constitutional position of high dignity and is not present in the meeting, the witness was allowed to speak by the Chairperson. Further, he refused to provide adequate time to committee members to lodge their protests,” the letter said.

Pal’s decision to allow the witness to continue speaking goes against the basic rules of procedure as outlined in Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (MN Kaul and SL Shakdher), it added.

“We request your immediate intervention in the matter, and expect you to remind the Chairperson of the Committee of his duty to be bipartisan and uphold parliamentary norms. It will be very difficult for Members of Parliament across party lines to continue working on the Joint Parliamentary Committee in the current partisan and politically motivated environment,” the letter said.