Senior Advocate and All India Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee was suspended for a day from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Tuesday following a tumultuous incident where he smashed a glass bottle during a heated exchange with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay.
As reported by an online portal, Banerjee sustained injuries to his thumb and index finger and required first aid at the medical center within the parliament complex.
The altercation occurred during a presentation by two Odisha-based organizations, which opposition MPs were questioning. Banerjee reportedly attempted to interject while Gangopadhyay was speaking, leading to a clash as both sides were determined to assert their viewpoints.
"According to eyewitnesses to the incident, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee picked up a glass water bottle kept there and hit it on the table and hurt himself by accident," tweeted ANI.
Kalyan Banerjee, a TMC MP representing Serampore in the Hooghly district, first won an Assembly seat in 2001 from Asansol Uttar. Although he faced defeat in 2006, he successfully transitioned to the Lok Sabha by 2009. Following his recent win in the Lok Sabha elections, he is currently serving his fourth term as an MP from Serampore, West Bengal. In addition to his political career, Banerjee is a Senior Advocate practicing before the Supreme Court of India and the Calcutta High Court.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who represents the Tamluk constituency in West Bengal, is another key figure in this incident. He resigned from his position as a judge in March this year to join the BJP, with plans to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Throughout his judicial career, Justice Gangopadhyay was known for his vocal criticism of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government.
The former judge has recently attracted attention due to several controversial orders and statements. Notably, he accused Justice Soumen Sen of the Calcutta High Court of "acting for a political party in the State," leading the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the matter and transfer certain proceedings involving Justice Gangopadhyay to itself.
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