Incident started with minor collision of bike: Khattar

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 3: Even as Opposition members today created uproar in the Assembly and staged walk-out over assault on Kashmiri students at Mahendargarh in Haryana and other places, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar asserted that the incident had started with a minor collision of motorcycle of the accused.
In response to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s tweet, Khattar tweeted: “Guilty will be punished. Incident had started with a minor collision of motorcycle of the accused. 3 people have already been arrested and senior officer (SP) is on the spot”.
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Mehbooba responded: “thank you for your prompt action @mlkhattar Ji”.
During the Question Hour, the Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes over alleged assault on two Kashmiri students in Haryana, with several Opposition members staging a walkout during the Zero Hour, accusing the Government of failing to check such incidents.
The State Government assured the House that the matter has been taken up with Haryana and three persons have been arrested in the case.
The Opposition members also questioned why the Government had called an All Party Meeting to discuss upcoming Panchayat elections, when it has already taken all decisions in this regard.
As the House assembled, BJP State president and MLA Jammu West Sat Sharma `CA’ drew the attention of the House towards the death of three Army personnel in an avalanche in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir and the force rescuing a civilian patient despite adverse weather condition yesterday.
“The Opposition should also acknowledge and praise the sacrifice and the rescue effort of the Army… They only consider it their duty to criticise the forces,” he said amid thumping of desks by the BJP legislators.
Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, from whose Assembly constituency Gurez the patient (an infant) was airlifted to Srinagar later said the Indian Air Force and the Army have done a great service, which is praise worthy.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister A R Veeri intervened to make a statement during Question Hour assuring the House that the Government was serious on both the issues raised by the Opposition.
“As far as Haryana incident is concerned, an FIR has already been lodged by (Haryana police). Two students were attacked by some miscreants (yesterday), resulting in minor injuries to one of them.
“On the directions of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Principal Secretary (Home) talked to his counterpart. Besides, DGP Dr S P Vaid also contacted his Haryana counterpart. So far three persons have been arrested in connection with the assault,” he said.
After National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar questioned the logic behind holding an All Party Meeting on Panchayat elections “when everything has been decided”, Veeri said, “we are serious about the meeting which is being chaired by the Chief Minister herself”.
“It is the decision of the Cabinet and the outcome of the All Party Meet will be discussed at the Cabinet and its decision will be final,” he said.
The Question Hour passed off peacefully barring a walkout by BJP legislator Choudhary Sukhnadan over “non-satisfactory” answer to his question related to farmers.
However, the Zero Hour saw opposition members vociferously raising the incidents of attacks on Kashmiri students in others States.
Congress MLA G M Saroori claimed that a youth from Kishtwar was killed outside the State and demanded a statement from the Government.
NC MLA Altaf Kalloo also read out a purported SMS from a Kashmiri student in which he alleged that they were attacked at Bhatinda in Punjab. NC members and several Congress legislators then staged a walk out to protest against what they called the Government’s failure to stop attacks on Kashmiri students and youths in other States.
While leaving the House, Kalloo pointed towards ruling PDP legislators and said, “You too are Kashmiris.”
PDP MLA Mohammad Ashraf Mir remarked: “I am Kashmiri first, then Indian”.
Earlier, Kalloo also raised the issue of Kashmiri students, who were returning from Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) after training but were detained at Habibgunj police station for possession of LPG cylinder.
CPM veteran MY Tarigami demanded that a resolution should be adopted in the Assembly and sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for stopping attacks on Kashmiri students outside the State as such incidents put the peace process to reverse gear. He said it was duty of the Centre and State Governments to ensure safety and protection of Kashmiri students.
Congress MLA Viqar Rasool endorsed the demand for passing a resolution saying this was concern of the House. NC MLA Shamima Firdous too endorsed the demand.
Later talking to reporters, Sagar said the attack on students outside the State is leading to alienation which is very dangerous.
“An impression goes especially in the Valley that we are not safe and secure which is a wrong signal,” he said and demanded stern action against the “fringe elements” involved in such attacks.
He said that such persons cannot be friends of the country and are enemies of the nation.
“Everyone is free to go anywhere in any college or university and if he is restricted in the name of religion, region or State, that is not a good thing,” the NC MLA said.

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