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| Ruling coalition faces embarrassment as Ministers, legislators remain absent during tabling of government bill | | 'Enforced' adjournment by speaker comes to rescue of government | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Oct 8: The coalition government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah faced an embarrassing situation in the legislative Assembly today as the Ministers and legislators of ruling coalition were absent during the tabling of a government bill. The bill was later on passed after the 'enforced' adjournment by Speaker Mubarak Gul.
As the House was in session Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mir Saifullah tabled a bill on Dehi Adalats in the House. MLA Darhal, Chaudhary Zulfiqar Ali had proposed some amendments in the bill and he gave a brief speech in favour of his amendments. MLA Ram Nagar, Harshdev Singh also wanted the government to make some amendments in the bill in order to make it people friendly. MLA Bandipora Nizam-ud-din Bhat also proposed for some changes in the draft of the proposed bill.
After the legislators finished their brief speech on the bill, the Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister countered the amendment and said that government should be allowed to pass the bill at this moment. Saifullah said the changes demanded by the legislators would be given due consideration once the bill takes the shape of an Act and is implemented in the state.
MLA Darhal who had brought the amendments said that he is not convinced by the contention of law & parliamentary affairs minister and would press for the amendments. The speaker while sensing that bill would be defeated since the treasury benches were almost empty said that Saifullah would motivate the members about the reservations apprehended by members about the draft of the bill. This did not go well with the PDP members who insisted for pressing the amendments.
Urban development minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora left the house while the house was discussing whether to press for voting on the bill. Minister of State for Power, Viqar Rasool Wani was seen pleading with Jora to stay back saying that the coalition would be in trouble if the speaker would give his nod for voting on the bill.
While both the sides were engaged in verbal duel the speaker adjourned the house for 10 minutes. The PDP legislators along with those of National Panthers Party objected to the adjournment and said that the government has virtually collapsed on the floor of the house. They accused the speaker of succumbing to the pressure from government while announcing the adjournment of the house.
After the adjournment ministers like Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Taj Mohi-ud-din, Manohar Lal Sharma, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Ajay Sadhotra returned to house in order to increase the number of members sitting on the treasury benches. Legislators from both sides entered into altercation with PDP and NPP legislators wanting to know the fate of house and the bill tabled by the government.
NPP legislator from Udhampur, Balwant Singh Mankotia said that technically the government has fallen since it could not get the bill passed through voice vote. Law & parliamentary affairs minister could be making frequent rounds from house to outside and vice-versa. He at times could be seen asking the watch and ward staff of the assembly about the 'whereabouts' of ruling coalition ministers and legislators.
Harshdev while taking pot shots at the adjournment of house said that the incident is unprecedented in the history of Jammu & Kashmir legislature. He said there was no reason for speaker to adjourn the house adding that this means that speaker has admitted that the government is no more in power.
After an interval of 30 minutes the house resumed the business and the speaker asked the law & parliamentary affairs minister to make motion to take up the bill for consideration and voting. On this the PDP legislators Chaudhary Zulfiqar Ali, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Javed Mustafa Mir, Basharat Bukhari, Dr. Shafi Ahmad and Abdul Haq Khan reached the front row and raised hue and cry over the 'safe passage' provided by speaker for getting the bill passed after consideration. The bill was passed through voice vote with amendments being rejected. |
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