Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: The debate over the BJP legislator RS Pathania’s “Shadow Minister” jibe at Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary over illegal mining in Udhampur district lingered on in the Legislative Assembly for the second consecutive day today as both the leaders engaged in heated verbal exchanges.
While Surinder Choudhary asked the BJP legislator RS Pathania to prove his allegations or take his words back, the latter claimed the former’s relative, he earlier referred to as “Shadow Minister”, is facilitating illegal mining in the Udhampur district.
While speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s address and in favour of scrapping of Article 370 by the Parliament and the Apex Court of the country, BJP MLA RS Pathania said the special provision of the Constitution had to be annulled due to the irresponsible statements of the top leadership of the Kashmir-based parties, particularly National Conference and PDP.
He particularly referred to Omar Abdullah’s statement during 2008 Amarnath agitation when the latter, according to him, claimed that “even an inch of land wouldn’t be given for the Amarnath yatra”.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary got offended over this and stood from his chair, asking Pathania to desist from making such statements and rather focus on Jammu instead of Kashmir.
He said, “You should focus on Jammu more than Kashmir…..you are doing this every now and then. The other day you blamed me for facilitating illegal mining in Udhampur district through a ‘Shadow Minister’……you also promised to provide photographs to prove my involvement……..I dare you to either prove your words or take them back.”
On this, several other BJP as well as NC legislators stood from their chairs backing both Pathania and Choudhary. As the matter escalated, the Speaker intervened and asked both Deputy Chief Minister and Pathania to stop making accusations and counter-accusations.
However, as Surinder Choudhary kept on insisting Pathania to prove his allegations, the latter claimed that a “close relative” of the Deputy Chief Minister has been facilitating illegal mining in Udhampur District, to whom he referred to as the “Shadow Minister” the other day.
After heated verbal exchanges for several minutes, Speaker pacified both the leaders and put the House to order.
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