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| Pandemonium, verbal spat rock Assembly | | NC MLAs stage 'dharna' in Well, put govt in dock | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 26: The ruling National Conference today had to face humiliation and embarrassment at the hands of its own legislators in the Lower House of State Legislature who, along with Opposition MLAs, accused the party of maintaining "silence" on Inter-district recruitment Bill and "failing" to resolve the genuine issues of the people.
Amid complete din and uproar, the entire Opposition comprising Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and Jammu State Morcha (JSM) staged a walk out from the House.
Interestingly, the NC legislators joined by PDP and independent MLA staged a dharna (sit-in) in the Well of the House demanding that a bill banning inter-district recruitment be introduced in the Legislative Assembly without any delay. What really embarrassing for the ruling party was its own legislators exchanged heated arguments with the Ministers and other leaders of the party accusing them of turning "deaf ear" over inter-district recruitment issue.
As soon as the House assembled this morning, Independent MLA from Langate, Engineer Abdul Rashid once again raised the issue of inter-district recruitment and expressed his concern over non-inclusion of Bill seeking complete ban on it in the business of the House.
"The Government has brought other bills in the House but it has not introduced the Bill regarding ban on inter-district recruitment," the MLA pleaded while seeking the intervention of the Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone.
Protesting against the non-tabling of the bill, two National Conference legislators- Mir Saifullah and Kafil-ur-Rehman-walked up to the well of the House and sought tabling of Bill in the House.
They said that the Bill was sent to the Select Committee which had already submitted its recommendations and it should be brought into the House for discussion.
Shouting slogans like "Rural Districts Ko Insaaf do" (give justice to rural district) and "inter-district recruitments bandh karo" (stop inter-district recruitments), they questioned the Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone for not tabling the Bill in the House.
Soon they were joined by the Opposition members comprising Abdul Haq Khan, Javed Mustafa Mir and Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani.
Reprimanding the protesting MLAs, the Speaker said, "I have to follow by certain rules. Don't make it a political issue. You have no authority to dictate terms on the chair. It has already been assured in the House that the Bill would be tabled here so bear with me."
Though the Speaker also made a hand-folded request to the protesting MLAs, they however continued to create ruckus demanding tabling of the Bill.
Soon Leader of Panthers Legislature Party, Harsh Dev Singh stood up from his seat and mocked, "This is for the first time in my political career that the ruling party MLAs are holding dharna inside the Well and that too, against their own government. It seems the government has lost its confidence and this protest bear testimony to the facts. The ruling party MLAs are themselves frustrated with the government which reflects that the government is totally bankrupt and has lost moral authority to continue."
The Speaker remarked, "People are judging you and they will raise fingers at you. Aisa Nahi Chalega (I will not allow this)."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs including Durga Dass, Gharu Ram Choudhary Sukhnandan, JKNPP MLA, Balwant Singh Mankotia and JSM legislator, Ashwani Kumar Sharma also stood up from the benches and resorted to massive sloganeering against the demand of NC and PDP MLAs. "The ban will be anti-Jammu and anti-Scheduled Caste and we will not tolerate it," they stated.
"Scheduled Caste Ko Insaaf Do (give justice to SC), Jammu Virodhi Sarkar Ko Dimiss Karo (Dismiss anti-Jammu government), Jammu Virodhi Sarkar Ko Ek Dhaka Aur Do…….." they shouted.
A verbal duel soon broke out between members of the PDP, NC, BJP and JKNPP with MLAs exchanging heated words. The BJP, JKNPP and JSM legislators vociferously showed their concern against any move to ban inter-district recruitment. They said that it would harm the interests of the SC and ST communities.
Speaker again remarked, "Pehle Opposition Wale Protest Karte The Aab Aap Kar Rahe Hai….."
The members staging protest in the Well shouted, "Pahari Illako Ke Saath Justice Karo (Do justice with hilly areas), Khairat Nahi Haq Chahiye (We don't want to beg, we want our right), we want justice, Inter-District recruitment Bill Ko Pass Karo (Pass Inter-district recruitment Bill)." They sat inside the Well and continued to raise slogans demanding ban on inter-district recruitment.
Harsh further remarked, "These members have lost their confidence and trust in the government. This is totally a bankrupt government."
Shouting slogans against the ban on inter-district recruitment, the Opposition comprising BJP, JKNPP and JSM staged a walk-out from the House at 9:49 a.m.
While the members continued to create uproar, the Speaker said, "The Bill is laying with Assembly Secretariat and it the duty of the House to table the Bill here under Rule 77."
"Par Yeh Tamasha Nahi Chalega. This is Tamasha," he remarked.
In a sharp reaction to Speaker's remarks, Mir Saifullah said, "Hum Tamasha Nahi Kar Rahe Hai. We will not tolerate injustice with our people."
Saifullah also took into task the Minister's and other senior leaders of the NC when he shouted, "Aap Kyon Khamosh Ho (Why you are silent?). Behre Kyon Ho Gaye Ho ( Why you have turned deaf ear?).Yeh Humare Logo Ke Insaaf Ki Ladai Hai…"
Another infuriated NC legislator, Khafeel-ur-Rehman shouted, "Logo Ne Hume Vote Diye Hai Unke Saath Insaaf Karo……. (People have voted us, do justice with them….."
Independent MLA from Langate, Abdul Rashid was also witnessed exchanging heated words with the treasury benches.
As nothing was audible amid din, senior PDP member Nizam-ud-Din Bhat demanded a statement from the government over the issue.
While the situation witnessed no improvement, all PDP legislators expect Javed Mustafa Mir also staged a walkout from the House at 10:01 a.m.
To pacify the agitating members, the Speaker said, "As already assured by the government, I will bring this Bill in the House during current budget session. "
It was only after the Speaker's assurance, the members returned to their respective seats which restored normalcy in the House. The protests and dharna disrupted the proceedings of the House for over half an hour.
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