Both sides trade allegations
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 4: Ministers, NC and Congress Legislators clashed with BJP MLAs several times during the debate on Motion of Thanks on LG’s address in UT Assembly today with both sides levelling allegations and counter allegations.
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As BJP members countered ruling NC MLA Shabir Shaheen for saying that their party was responsible for fragmenting and looting Maharaja’s State, the BJP members took strong exception and they stood up form their seats and confronted him very strongly.
The party MLAs including Dr Narinder Singh, Shakti Raj Parihar , Rajiv Jasrotia, Dilip Parihar , Vikram Randhawa, Satish Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Yudhvir Sethi and Shagun Parihar were on their toes to take on NC MLA. However, much heat was generated in the House when NC member, Altaf Ahmed Kalaoo said “You closed Medical College as Muslim students got admission there and shame on you”. However he was countered strongly by BJP’s Narinder Singh and Rajiv Jasrotia.
Coming to rescue of NC MLA, Transport Minister stood up and passed some remarks on BJP. Confronting him Vikram Randhawa, Rajiv Jasrotia and Shakti Parihar shouted him down. Randhawa asked the Minister that he should improve his language first instead of giving sermons to BJP legislators. Even at number of occasions Dy CM, Surinder Choudhary was also seen strongly arguing with BJP MLAs during the debate.
When Shaheen was speaking the BJP MLAs were still in protesting mood and did not take their seats and were engaged in heated exchanges with Dy CM, Transport Minister and other NC members.
Irfan Ahmed Lone in his speech also targeted BJP of converting historic State into UT. He said for the first time in the history a full-fledged State has been converted and downgraded into UT. “Our rights were snatched and as per Article 3 of the Constitution the Legislators of the State were to be consulted but they were ignored”, he added.
He regretted that no reference was made in LG address on restoration of Statehood to J&K. It is a serious issue and talks on this issue be held, he added. He said Mehraj Malik’s arrest is serious thing and this House was undermined with his arrest.
Later the heated exchanges were also witnessed between treasury benches and BJP MLAs soon after Surjit Singh Slathia stood up to speak on LG’s address as NC members tried to interrupt him number of times.
The NC and Congress MLAs also tried to interrupt Balwant Singh Mankotia later during his speech on LG ‘s address after he hailed the US -India trade deal. Countering him NC MLAs including Nazir Gurezi stood up and termed the deal against the interests of farmers of India.
Mankotia said that people who were saying that US will force India to succumb has itself surrendered and this was because of PM Modi’s leadership. However NC members tried to contradict and interrupt him.
Taking strong exception to this, LoP Sunil Sharma warned that in case NC and other MLAs continue to interrupt his party legislators they (BJP) will also not allow their members to speak in future. He said both BJP legislators Surjit Singh Salathia and Mankotia were interrupted number of times which is unacceptable. Some BJP members also stood up in support of LoP.
Heated exchanges were witnessed when Mankotia during his speech referred to VB G RAM G Act and elaborated its meaning. A PDP member stood up saying you ruined entire country by talking about Ram.
The House also witnessed heated exchanges when LoP asked NC’s Altaf Kallu that PM Narendra Modi gave Rs five lakh to each person under Ayushman Bharat and a family of five persons can get Rs 25 lakh for treatment in case they face any chronic health problem.
However Minister of Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, Sakina Ittoo countered him. She said J&K is part of India and Modi is PM of J&K as well so he has not done any special favour to J&K. “It is his duty as PM. The people of J&K have given sacrifice for this nation, ” she added.
Earlier Surjit Singh Salathia took a dig at those trying to divide Jammu and Kashmir. He recalled that in 1990 when Kashmir was burning and the militancy had also hit twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch as well as erstwhile Doda district it was Jammu which embraced the displaced people not only from Kashmir but hilly reaches of Jammu region as well. He said J&K is one entity and cautioned against playing politics on it.
He said though some good steps were taken by CM but what about the poll promises made during elections. “People voted you and you were supposed to fulfil the poll promise including regularisation of daily wagers. They (daily wagers) are on roads demanding regularisation,” he added.
He said district industry in Samba is in shambles and industry is the only source of employment generation and Government have to look into it. He warned that in case industry gets closed the UT will face the unemployment problem of one lakh more people and they will be also on roads like daily wagers.
He also warned against any hike in power tariff and demanded that the people who have been given inflated bills in his constituency be given justice. Shamima Firdous of NC expressed serious concern over the ill treatment what she alleged is meted out to Kashmiri students and traders outside J&K . She demanded shifting of youth in outside jails to Kashmir and release of Mehraj Malik. She expressed her dismay over the way the Bihar CM tried to pull the Hijab of a Muslim woman while delivering the Government job orders.
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