'Oppn MPs to boycott next round of meetings of Waqf JPC': TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee

Banerjee accused BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who heads the parliamentary panel, of ‘high-handedness’ and ‘arbitrary action.’

The opposition members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf Bill, will boycott the next round of meetings beginning November 9, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, an opposition member, declared on Thursday.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee. (ANI)

Banerjee put the blame on BJP's Jagdambika Pal, the JPC chief, accusing him of ‘high-handedness’ and ‘arbitrary action.’

“All the opposition members have decided to boycott the tour. The chairman is working in an arbitrary and high-handed manner,” Banerjee told reporters at a press conference in Kolkata, PTI reported.

Beginning Saturday, the panel will hold meetings in Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow over the next six days, with Sunday being a holiday in between.

Meanwhile, Banerjee further said, “The opposition members met the Lok Sabha Speaker on November 5 and sought the deferment of the schedule. We also sought a reduction in the number of days of meetings of the JPC from two days a week to just one day per week or two consecutive days every fortnight.”

Speaker Om Birla, he claimed, had verbally agreed to ‘sympathetically’ consider their demands and speak to the chairman, but 'nothing happened thereafter.’

On why the opposition MPs wanted the upcoming meetings to be rescheduled, the Trinamool leader noted that all Members of Parliament also have ‘other important official work' and have to meet people in their respective constituencies.

Further, he alleged that Waqf stakeholders were not being given enough time, while those with no stake in the Amendment Bill, were being called for meetings.

"Members from the ruling dispensation are working as per their own agenda and not in the interest of the nation,” Banerjee added.