Bharatiya Janata Party‘s MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday claimed that the opposition tried to disrupt the proceedings of the joint parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill meeting, physically and verbally threatened both the witness and the Chairperson, and tore up committee documents.
BJP MP Surya wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and said that such conduct cannot be taken lightly and requested to take disciplinary action against those responsible for this unruly and unparliamentary behaviour.
In a letter, Surya said, “I wish to bring to your attention the unfortunate disruptions and inappropriate conduct that occurred during the meeting of the joint parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, held on October 14, 2024. The Chairperson of the Committee, in his wisdom and upon my request, invited Shri Anwar Manippadi, former Chairman, Karnataka state minorities commission and Karnataka minorities development corporation, to depose before the committee.”
He further stated that during his deposition, Manippadi discussed a report he submitted in 2012 during his tenure. This report alleges large-scale encroachment or sale of approximately 2,000 acres of Waqf land, valued at around Rs. 2 lakh crore, to private entities, implicating certain leaders of the Indian National Congress. The Manippady report was submitted to the Lokayukta for further scrutiny and Upa Lokayukta Justice Anand, before whom the report reached, authenticated the facts of the Manippadi report and submitted his report in 2016.
“Regrettably, as soon as this serious issue was brought to the Committee’s attention, opposition members disrupted the proceedings, verbally threatened both the witness and the Chairperson, and tore up committee documents. They also walked near to where the witness and chairperson were seated, tried to physically threaten both, snatched the notes and papers they had made and tore it,” the BJP MP said.
“Their behaviour reflected a complete disregard for Parliamentary decorum. Following this, they walked out of the meeting while making derogatory remarks towards other members present. Such conduct, including threats directed at a witness and the Chairperson, cannot be taken lightly. In the interest of maintaining the dignity and decorum of Parliamentary proceedings, I request that you direct the concerned Members of Parliament to adhere to the rules of conduct and parliamentary etiquette, and that disciplinary action be initiated against those responsible for this unruly and unparliamentary behaviour,” he added.