Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 9: The noisy scenes and opposition protests were witnessed in the State Assembly during the debate on Governor’s address in the second sitting today as the Opposition members took the Government to task for not taking them into confidence on Panchayat elections issue and also criticized it for strike by doctors in SKIMS, Soura Srinagar.
As the House assembled for the second sitting in the afternoon, National Conference (NC), MLA from Nagrota, Devinder Rana stood up from his seat and raised the issue of Panchayat elections. He accused the Government of derailing the democratic system in the State by hurriedly announcing the Panchayat elections without taking the opposition parties into confidence on the issue of election of Sarpanch.
Rana blamed the Government of passing the Amendment Bill forcibly in the House and urged it to take the opposition into confidence now on this vital issue instead of announcing the elections hurriedly.
He was supported by Congress MLA from Banihal, Vikar Rasool and other NC members who stood up from their seats demanding a debate over the issue. All NC members present in the House barring Leader of its Legislative Party, Omar Abdullah and Ali Mohammed Sagar stood up from their seats in protest.
Rana warned that indirect election of Sarpanches was not acceptable to his Party. He also entered into heated exchanges with BJP MLA from Jammu West, Sat Sharma and pointed towards him saying those who were talking about implementation of 73rd Amendment are now calm over the issue. This provoked Sat Sharma who also countered saying that they still stick by empowering of Panchayates and local bodies in the State.
He alleged that previous Government in its tenure failed to hold the Panchayat and local body elections. However, Rana demanded a discussion over the issue and asked the Government to take opposition into confidence instead of announcing elections in hurry.
The agitated Rana also went into the Well of the House to protest and warned to stage a walkout.
Supporting him Vikar Rasool of Congress said that indirect elections will make a mockery of the Panchayti Raj system as influential Panches will replace Sarpanches daily.
To pacify the agitated opposition, Minster of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Haq Khan said that the indirect elections were held during the tenure of former chief ministers Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah also. He however assured the House that whenever poll will be announced the opposition will be taken into confidence.
Rana said that he does not want to hear about the past but wanted that Sarpanch should be elected directly and issue be debated in the House.
Later when House resumed debate on Governor’s address and Shamima Firdous stood up to speak, CPI(M) MLA Mohammed Yousf Tarigami turned the attention of Government towards the situation created by the strike of doctors of SKIMS, Soura in Srinagar.
He said an extra-ordinary situation has been created due to strike of the doctors in SKIMS and patients were suffering on account of it.
He said the Government has taken action against some doctors and entire doctors of the Institute went on strike. Tarigami said patients were suffering and the Government should take action and restore the normal functioning of the Hospital.
He was supported by Rigzin Jora of Congress, Mian Altaf Ahmed of NC, Usman Majid Mohammed Akbar Lone, Ali Mohammed Sagar and other opposition members who stood up from their seats demanding a statement from the Minister over the issue.
The Minister in his reply candidly admitted that the health care services have been affected in SKIMS due to doctors’ strike and Government will take appropriate steps to normalize the functioning in the Institute.
He said the situation was created in the Institute after three doctors doing private practice were suspended by the administration and the Director was attached pending inquiry.
However, the opposition members not satisfied wanted to know from the Minister that when they will take the cognizance of the situation.
The Congress MLA, G M Saroori also stood up to speak some thing but the Speaker did not allow him and asked the Minister to seek proper information and detail the House about the same.
Later Bali Bhagat said that the Government will take appropriate steps to end the ongoing strike in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura.
He informed the House that the Government had placed three senior faculty members of SKIMS under suspension and attached its Director with the GAD following violation of norms by them.
He said as per the SKIMS norms, no doctor can do private practice , as they are being paid Non Practicing Allowance (NPA). Since the doctors of the institute were found violating the norms, Government initiated disciplinary action against them, he added.
Appreciating the concern of members regarding the disturbances of healthcare services in the SKIMS due to the on going strike, the Minister said that all essential services including, OPD and emergency services are going smoothly. He assured the House that the Government will not allow hampering the services in the Institute and address the issue soon.
Intervening the Leader of NC Legislative Party, Omar Abdullah said that Government was within its rights to take action against three doctors for doing private practice but there is resentment against the attachment of Director and rumors are afloat that there is a doctor in US who is influencing and lobbying with the Government these days for appointment of new Director of his choice in the Institute.
The MLA Pahalgam, Altaf Kaloo asked the Government don’t bring any “imported item”.
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