TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Three BJP MPs have written to Lok Sabha Speaker urging him to file an FIR against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee and called for his immediate suspension from the membership of the lower House, in addition to sending his case to the ethics committee.
The letter comes after Banerjee was suspended for a day from attending the proceedings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee formed to explore the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 for breaking a glass bottle in anger and flinging it at the direction of chairperson Jagdambika Pal.
The three BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Aparajita Sarangi and Abhijit Gangopadhyay – all of who are members of the committee – described Banerjee’s conduct as “goondaism”.
“The goondaism and unpardonable violence exhibited by Kalyan Banerjee has surpassed all limits of civilised behaviour expected from a Member of Parliament which has now become an act of life-threatening attack on the Chairperson Jagdambika Pal. Therefore, the same calls for stringent action by your goodself as otherwise, our cherished parliamentary system of governance would be tarnished beyond repair,” the letter reads.
The lawmakers also urged that Banerjee be arrested and interrogated by law enforcement agencies. “In terms of Rule 316B (a) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the unethical conduct of Kalyan Banerjee, Member of Parliament, may be referred to the Committee on Ethics for examination, investigation and report for considering rescinding his membership,” the letter further reads.
It must be noted that the incident took place after a war of words broke out between Banerjee and Gangopadhyay, following which the former slammed the glass bottle on the table, breaking it, and then flung it at the direction of Chairperson Pal, who, several attendees noted, was coming back to the room from a break and had walked towards Banerjee as the fight broke out.
Banerjee has since chosen to remain quiet on the matter. But on Wednesday, he put out a vague post on X, possibly aimed at Pal.
“Having reached the age of 75, you have shifted your allegiance from @INCIndia to @BJP4India. Even now, you haven’t demonstrated fairness or impartiality in your important position. You are neither a true member of @INCIndia nor a genuine supporter of @BJP4India; rather, you appear to be driven solely by a desire for power. I urge you to conduct the remainder of your life with dignity and impartiality,” his post read.