New Delhi: Today, opposition members of the Indian Parliament walked out of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Bill, voicing protest against derogatory remarks directed by a BJP member towards an opposition MP. The incident highlighted the growing tensions within the committee discussions, particularly around the Waqf Amendment Bill.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the meeting, led by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal, became contentious as Nishikant Dubey, also from BJP, allegedly made abusive comments towards TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee. The exchange occurred during a presentation by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, leading to immediate backlash from opposition MPs, who subsequently staged a walkout.

Key figures from the opposition, including Gaurav Gogoi, A. Raja, Mohamed Abdullah, and Arvind Sawant, supported Banerjee’s protest. This walkout was not an isolated incident; it followed another episode of contention earlier in the week when opposition members boycotted a session over comments made by BJP leader Manippady concerning Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The opposition has criticized the handling of the committee’s proceedings, accusing the majority party of disregarding the established parliamentary rules and expressing concerns about the general treatment of opposition voices within legislative debates.