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| ‘I will blast your budget speech’: Rather to Qarra | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Jan 18
Leader of the Opposition AR Rather and Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Qarra on Friday exchanged hot words when Rather refused to initiate discussion on the budget citing lack of time as the main reason behind it.
It was around 1.05 p.m when Speaker of the house Tara Chand asked leader of the opposition to initiate budget discussion in the house. In response, Rather instead of initiating discussion reminded Speaker that the government had earlier agreed to call off the day’s business as legislators had to attend Friday prayers.
This did not go well with the Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Qarra who said opposition leader is looking for an excuse. He even pricked Rather saying that if the leader of the opposition has nothing to say on the budget why is he hiding behind the argument that he had to go to offer Friday prayers. It simply means that the leader of the opposition is conceding that he cannot speak on the budget motion, Qarra said.
This infuriated AR Rather and he reminded Speaker that he had earlier agreed that on Friday house will disperse after 1.00 p.m. We have to perform Friday prayers and we cannot skip that. Several other NC legislators were on their toes and supporting Rather's view point.
“Speaker Sahib does not make mockery of the house”. I will blast Finance Minister’s budget, Rather said.
The government by delaying the discussion is conspiring so that I can not get enough time to make my point. He said the government deliberately wasted time of the house by introducing bills. As per the calendar it was off day today and government had no business to transact. Still they brought these bills and wasted time of the house. When Qarra said the leader of the opposition had demanded one day's time we gave him enough time but still he is asking for time. Rather countered it by replying that if government had kept time for budget discussion on Thursday he would have initiated the discussion. When Speaker tried to pacify the leader of the opposition to agree to suggestion of the Finance Minister to make a speech in the second sitting, Rather stuck to his stand. Members from the treasury benches were seen urging Rather to initiate discussion but failed to motivate him. |
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