| Uproarious scenes, adjournments mar Assembly proceedings | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 4: The State Legislative Assembly today again witnessed uproarious scenes following which the proceedings of the House was adjourned twice as the opposition parties including Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and BJP's breakaway group pitched for adjournment motions over a range of issues, including the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and killings of two police constables in Handwara.
As soon as the proceedings of the House commenced in the morning, the PDP members led by Leader of Opposition Mehbooba Mufti pressed for a debate on the issue of Afzal's hanging while the JKNPP legislator Harsh Dev Singh supported by BJP member Jugal Kishore and Jammu State Morcha (JSM) MLA Ashwani Sharma demanded discussion over the killings of two Indian Reserve Police (IRP) jawans in Handwara by militants viz a viz details of the incident from the Government.
The Jammu based legislators also demanded to take up a discussion on the death of Akhnoor based Chamel Singh, who recently died in Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, Pakistan.
However, when Speaker Mubarak Gul announced to hold the discussion on Afzal Guru first, the House plunged into pandemonium as members of JKNPP, BJP and JSM stormed into the well in protest against the decision.
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said, "It seems that to avoid discussion on Afzal Guru issue, the ruling National Conference has fixed this uproar."
The PDP members, who were rooting for a debate on Afzal's hanging, too trooped into the well of the House demanding to start the discussion immediately.
In the din, Jugal Kishore of BJP said, "We reject an adjournment motion over Afzal Guru's hanging since his execution was pronounced by the Supreme Court."
With the protesting opposition members refused to relent and demands of discussions over various issues echoing from different quarters all at once, the Speaker amid noisy scenes decided to adjourn the proceedings of the House for 10 minutes at 10.33 am.
When the House re-assembled after 10 minutes, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rose to respond to the queries on the death of a Kashmiri student in Hyderabad, but the JKNPP, BJP and JSM members remained adamant to first discuss the killings of IRP jawans by militants.
JSM member Ashwani Sharma asked the Chair, "What is your decision regarding a debate on return of Chamel Singh's body from Pakistan."
BJP and JKNPP MLAs criticized the Government for allowing PDP to hold discussion on 'anti-nationals' and not allowing them to discuss issues of national concern.
The Speaker tried to pacify JSM, BJP and JKNPP members and said, "Your adjournment motion is under my consideration, however, first let's get over with the discussion in hand."
However, the Speaker's assurance could not satisfy the JSM, BJP and JKNPP members and when the Chair refused to concede to their demands they staged a walkout from the Assembly.
In the meantime, the PDP members up on their feet demanded to give time to their senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig to speak on Afzal's issue.
While the PDP members wanted to hold further discussion and sought time from the Speaker for party stalwart Baig to present his views on the matter, the Speaker refused to give permission citing rules of the adjournment motion following which Chief Minister replied on the debate initiated by Mehbooba Mufti on Afzal's execution.
Amid CM's reply, the PDP legislators continued disrupting the House proceedings and again stormed into the well of the House where they shouted slogans and tore papers as a mark of protest.
As soon as the Chief Minister finished his statement in the midst of PDP protests, the Speaker again adjourned the proceedings of the House for 30 minutes at 12.38 pm.
When the House resumed after adjournment, the PDP said that in CM's reply there was no assurance from him on bringing back the mortal remains of Afzal Guru and as mark of protest they boycotted the proceedings of the House. |
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