This incident is not the first time Kalyan Banerjee has crossed the limits of decency
It should not be necessary to teach civics or decency to a four-term MP who is a lawyer and one of his party’s top leaders. Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee was placed on a one-day leave of absence from the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Tuesday.
He was disciplined for smashing a glass bottle at the JCP meeting, allegedly following a heated argument with BJP MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Ganguly. According to committee chair Jagdambika Pal, Banerjee was trying to hurl the bottle at him, but the TMC leader hurt himself instead. Parliament, together with its committees, provides a forum for disagreement, discussion, and sometimes heated dispute.
It is not—and must not be—a place for violence and abuse. Regretfully, Banerjee doesn’t appear to understand this. Additionally, his actions are a dreadful disappointment at a time when the opposition is striving to regain the moral high ground and, at times, ground after a decade in near political wilderness.
The rights and aspirations of the people who voted for him are carried by a representative in the Lok Sabha. Regretfully, Banerjee has exceeded the limits of decorum before, including this week’s event. When the opposition was under siege and 147 MPs were suspended last year, the TMC MP’s crass imitation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar garnered unnecessary attention.
In actuality, Banerjee consistently avoided taking the high ground throughout Dhankhar’s turbulent time as West Bengal’s governor; he accused Dhankhar of being a “bloodsucker” and brought legal action against him.
He made offensive and unsupported comments on the personal habits of the then-West Bengal chief minister in 2009, and earlier this year, during the Lok Sabha campaign, he disparaged the complexion of CPM candidate Dipsita Dhar.
Therefore, Banerjee’s actions at the parliamentary committee meeting are not unusual. It may also be considered a contributing factor to the party’s problems, considering his seniority and position within the TMC. As the fourth-largest party in the Lok Sabha and entering its third term in government in West Bengal, the TMC has evolved beyond being a street and protest party.
Although it started out as “anti-establishment” at a time when the Left was in control, it is now a component of the system of power. Its leaders cannot be so immature in their words and deeds as to turn to violence and abuse.
Banerjee’s actions are not just detrimental to politics. It also demonstrates an unacceptable disrespect for the people he serves and the procedures of Parliament.
