J&K Assembly adjourned amid uproar on first day
On day one of the Autumn Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, members from the Opposition and treasury benches resorted to slogan-shouting soon after the obituary references were over.
The Speaker of the House was seen struggling to restore order during the question hour amid repeated disruptions. As the chaos prevailed, the Speaker decided to adjourn the day’s proceedings. The House will reconvene on Tuesday.
Before the House was adjourned, the BJP legislators, who had come prepared to corner the Omar Abdullah-led Government, raised slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”, prompting reactions from members of the treasury benches. Meanwhile, NC and other MLAs raised slogans demanding restoration of Statehood in response.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather was seen trying to pacify unruly members to allow the House proceedings. The BJP members, protesting in the well, were directed by the Speaker to go back to their seats. “Don’t force me to take action against you,” the Speaker warned them. The BJP members continued shouting slogans against the Government throughout the Question Hour, which the Speaker conducted amidst the din.
As the house witnessed pandemonium, National Conference MLA from Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, urged the Speaker to continue with Question Hour, accusing the BJP members of deliberately trying to waste the time of the House. “None of you will be in the House after the next election. You ruined this State,” Gurezi told the protesting BJP legislators.
The situation worsened after CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami asked the BJP members to raise another slogan, “Statehood ko restore karo,” following which BJP legislators objected and entered into a heated exchange with him. The commotion also involved Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed, while senior National Conference leader and Khanyar MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar stood up and raised slogans against the BJP members. Outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma accused the Omar Abdullah Government of wanting to evade the BJP’s questions on the people’s issues in the Union territory.
Speaking to reporters after the Assembly was adjourned for the day, Sharma said the BJP was playing its role as an effective Opposition by raising questions regarding the NHM employees, ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, CAMPA workers, GRS and technical assistants. “People are depressed due to outsourcing, and they demand answers. The Bharatiya Janata Party, acting as the voice for these victimised sections, demanded answers from the Government today. Omar Abdullah wants to run away; the Government wants to run away from people’s issues,” Sharma said. PDP leader Waheed Para, who moved an adjournment motion to discuss the rationalisation of reservations in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasised that the youth remain the most important issue in the Union territory.
“Unemployment is at its peak, with nearly a 32 per cent unemployment rate. And the biggest issue concerns merit. Whether meritorious students pursue education or seek jobs, merit is not a qualification in Jammu and Kashmir. For the first time in India’s history, the meritorious population is being punished. You give 30 per cent opportunities to nearly 70 per cent of the population, and you give 70 per cent opportunities to 30 per cent of the population,” Para stated.
He noted that a flawed reservation policy was created in Jammu and Kashmir for political reasons. “There is a need to revisit and rationalise it. This is a demand of the youth here as well,” he added.
