Two days later after a statement by Trinamul Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee regarding Waqf properties Bill (Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024), there was a political slugfest after the saffron party today took up the ante against TMC on the same issue.

Mr Banerjee, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Bill, reportedly said, “Any place where prayers are held can be considered Waqf property.” This comment has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with leaders warning of its potential implications.

BJP national IT Cell head and West Bengal observer Amit Malviya also criticised Banerjee, calling his comments a “distorted understanding of legal and historical principles.” Drawing parallels to temples like Puri Jagannath and Kashi Vishwanath, Malviya underscored their ancient significance and legal protections, suggesting Banerjee’s statement undermines the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus. Malviya further urged Mamata Banerjee to clarify her stance, saying, “If Mamata Banerjee truly identifies as a devotee of Lord Jagannath, she must publicly denounce Kalyan Banerjee’s remarks and remove him from her party. Failure to act would indicate her tacit approval.” The controversy has reignited debates over the Waqf board’s legal authority and its potential misuse.

The BJP leaders questioned whether such interpretations could lead to the displacement of non-Muslims from areas deemed Waqf properties. Referring to south Kolkata, Malviya sarcastically asked if chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, both residents of the area, were planning their relocation.

On Saturday, speaking at a rally in Dharmatala, Trinamul Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee had stated, “In 1963, the Constitution of India and a five-judge Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court determined two key aspects. First, any place where people offer namaz, or even if a group of 20, 25, 15, or five people regularly offer namaz at a particular location, that place will be considered Waqf property. It is not mandatory to offer namaz only in a mosque.”

Meanwhile, Union minister and state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar alleged that Banerjee’s remarks could pave the way for vast areas of the state, including airports, parks, and railway tracks, to be classified as Waqf property.