Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 9: Former Speaker and National Conference MLA from Sonawari, Mohammad Akbar Lone, hasn’t responded to the comments/facts sought from him by Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta on pro-Pakistan slogan raised by him in the House on February 10.
In his reply submitted to the Speaker, Lone, who was also a former Cabinet Minister, absolutely made no mention of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans raised by him in the Assembly and only referred to the breach of privilege.
“As far as the Speaker of the Assembly is concerned, your Chair is most valuable, respectable for all the Members of the House, so I respect your Chair and there is no question of breach of privilege against your prestigious Chair.
“As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, breach of privilege is made out if I would have said anything against your Chair or any other member of the House,” Lone said in his reply.
He requested the Speaker to drop proceedings against him.
“I request that there is no breach of privilege at all. So I humbly request you to drop the proceedings of the breach of privilege,” Lone added.
Sources said since Mohammad Akbar Lone hadn’t responded to the comments/facts sought from him by the Speaker on objectionable expression- ‘Pakistan Zindabad’, Kavinder Gupta has referred the reply submitted by Lone to the Privileges Committee of the Assembly, headed by ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Shopian Mohammad Yousuf Bhat.
“Further action against Lone could be initiated on the basis of recommendations made by the Breach of Privilege Committee, which would meet shortly to discuss reply submitted by the former Speaker,” sources said.
Through the notice, the Speaker had sought comments/facts from Mohammad Akbar Lone for objectionable expression-Pakistan Zindabad made by him in the Assembly on February 10.
Mohammad Akbar Lone, who has served as Speaker, Minister and Deputy Speaker. He was given seven days to furnish his comments for perusal.
Lone, had on February 10, shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ inside the Legislative Assembly when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were raising slogans like ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘Pakistan Hai Hai’ in view of fidayeen attack on Sunjuwan Military Station on that day in which six Army soldiers, a civilian and three fidayeen were killed.
Lone had admitted outside the Assembly that he had shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan but maintained that it was in reaction to the Speaker’s remarks on Rohingyas and Bangladeshis linking them with the terror attack.
However, National Conference leadership including party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and working president Omar Abdullah had distanced themselves from the remarks of Mohammad Akbar Lone.
The raising of `Pakistan Zindabad’ inside the Legislative Assembly by former Speaker and the sitting MLA and then justifying it outside the House, had become a national issue and drew outrage from various political parties and other organizations in the country as well as Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said Mohammad Akbar Lone has diverted the issue in his reply to the Legislative Assembly Speaker by making no mention of `Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan and only referring to the breach of privilege.
However, they pointed out, it would be seen as to what kind of action the Breach of Privilege Committee initiates against the National Conference MLA.
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