| After protest, Dharna, PDP stages walk out | | Restive Lolab triggers unrest in LA | | Abodh Sharma
Jammu, Feb 26: Sloganeering, protests, dharnas in the Well of the House and a walkout by the opposition PDP rocked the proceedings in the State Legislative Assembly Wednesday over prevailing situation in Lolab following an encounter in which seven foreign terrorists were killed.
Just as the House met, Abdul Haq Khan, MLA Lolab and MLA Langate Er. Rashid raised the issue of situation Lolab, alleging that the police had resorted to excessive use of force on the people and imposed curfew. While the Speaker Mubarak Gul pacified the members assuring them a response from the government, an irate Abdul Haq khan again raked up the issue while the question hour was on and demanded a response from the government. He was again joined by Er. Rashid and shouting slogans, the duo trooped in the Well and squatted there demanding a reply from the Government. They were soon joined by the rest of the PDP MLAs including Nizamudin Bhat, Basharat Bukhari, Dr. Shafi Wani, Peer Mansoor Hussain, Zahoor Mir, Zulfikar Ali and others, who started shouting slogans against the Government.
Speaker Mubarak Gul appealed the protesting members to assume their seats assuring them a response from the government after the question hour, but the protests continued. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah urged the Chair to allow the government to make a statement to end the stalemate.
Following direction from Speaker Mubarak Gul, Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo told the House that a large number of people had yesterday gathered outside the police station and some miscreants resorted to stone pelting. The mob had set afire a security bunker and damaged 11 government and 7 private vehicles following which police used tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters, the minister said. No protester was injured in the administration's action, but 16 policemen were injured in stone-pelting, Kitchloo said, adding that no curfew has been imposed in the area. The authorities have imposed restriction under section 144 of the CrPC to bring the situation under control, he said. He however ruled out that there was any curfew imposed in Lolab.Unsatisfied with the reply, PDP members staged a walkout from the House. PDP MLA Khan, who represents the Lobal segment in the Assembly, said the government had failed to handle the situation post the killings. "The people wanted to know who were the people killed in the encounter and hand gone to the area. But police used brute force resulting in outbreak of such a situation forcing the authorities to impose curfew," Khan said. |
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