Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 16: Entire Jammu based Opposition today staged protests in the Legislative Assembly denouncing the Government for its failure to pass a resolution condemning Pakistan National Assembly for its resolution on Afzal Guru, which they (the Opposition MLAs) described as “direct interference” into country’s internal affairs.
Ruling Congress MLAs also condemned Pakistan National Assembly’s resolution and warned Pakistan not to try to meddle into India’s internal matters.
Speaker Mubarak Gul, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Law Minister Saifullah Mir, however, rejected the Opposition demand for passing ‘condemnation resolution’ saying the Parliament is supreme and they have already passed such a resolution.
“There was no need for the Assembly to pass such a resolution as the Parliament has already passed the resolution on similar lines,” they said but couldn’t satisfy the highly agitated MLAs of BJP, BJP breakaway group, NPP and JSM, some of whom stood atop the benches and even tried to throw a mike before staging a walk-out after protesting in the Assembly and disrupting the Question Hour for 28 minutes.
No sooner did the Assembly began its sitting for the day, all MLAs of Jammu based opposition parties were on their feet demanding that the Assembly passed a resolution on the lines of Parliament denouncing Pakistan National Assembly’s resolution, which had condemned execution of 2001 Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and seeking return of his mortal remains to his family.
BJP Legislature Party leader Ashok Khajuria and Jugal Kishore said the Parliament of India including both Houses of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have yesterday passed unanimous resolutions condemning Pakistan National Assembly’s resolution on Afzal Guru and demanded that the State Assembly should also pass a similar resolution to send a clear message that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and it wouldn’t tolerate any interference into its internal affairs.
“Who is Pakistan to meddle into our internal matters. Pakistan Guru Ka Mama Hai Kaya (Is Pakistan maternal uncle of Guru)”, Mr Khajuria shouted.
BJP breakaway group leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, MLA Jammu West, asked: “what locus standii Pakistan has to adopt a resolution on Afzal Guru? Kashmir is an integral part of the country, a fact which was perhaps not being digested by Pakistan”.
JSM legislators Ashwani Sharma and NPP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia said the Legislative Assembly should condemn the resolution passed by Pakistan Assembly on Guru.
NPP Legislature Party leader and former Minister Harshdev Singh observed that the Assembly should pass the resolution on the line of Parliament.
Speaker Mubarak Gul repeatedly told the agitated legislators, who were not allowing the Question Hour to run, that the Parliament (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) have passed a resolution yesterday. “The Parliament is supreme. You look at the limit of my Chair. How is it possible that we start passing resolutions”, Mr Gul said and advised the MLAs to have patience now as their protest has been registered.
Harshdev Singh and other MLAs also raised the issue of the State Government’s failure to announce any compensation and job for the families of two police constables, who were gunned down by the militants at Handwara in Kupwara district few days back.
“The Government of Uttar Pradesh has announced Rs 20 lakh relief for a CRPF jawan killed in fidayeen attack at Bemina, Srinagar while Madhya Pradesh Government has sanctioned Rs 15 lakh and a job. What our Government has been doing. Are they sleeping”? Harshdev asked.
JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma said the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister himself lent shoulder to the body of CRPF martyr but here no body from the Government went to pay tributes to five CRPF martyrs of Bemina fidayeen attack. Mr Gul, however, clarified the remark saying the Chief Minister went to the airport to pay tributes while Minister of State for Home was also there.
BJP MLA Jugal Kishore said Chamel Singh, a prisoner killed by Pakistan in Kot Lakhpat Rai jail at Lahore and a resident of Pargwal, Akhnoor, sacrificed his life for the country but the Government has not announced a single penny of relief for him.
“This is ridiculous. The families of the people fighting for the country are being let down”, Mr Kishore said as the MLAs of BJP, NPP, BJP breakaway group and JSM strongly protested and shouted slogans demanding immediate relief for the families of two constables killed at Handwara and Chamel Singh. Mr Kishore said that Pakistan had even removed vital parts from Chamel Singh’s body.
Intervening in the protests, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand as far as relief for the families of two constables killed at Handwara was concerned, the Government was considering the demand and would shortly make an announcement in the House.
On Opposition members’ demand for an Assembly resolution condemning Pakistan National Assembly resolution on Guru, Tara Chand said: “our Parliament has rejected the resolution yesterday and, therefore, there was no question of passing a resolution here”.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir, who also intervened into the protests later, said Pakistan National Assembly has passed the resolution.
“Our Parliament has reacted (by adopting the resolution to counter Pakistan). We are a small State. We have no control over Pakistan. It seems the agitated MLAs have no faith in the Parliament”, he said.
On the MLAs’ demand for relief to Chamel Singh’s family, Saifullah said the Government was considering it and a decision would be taken soon. He advised the MLAs to allowed proceedings of the House to go on as their view point has been recorded.
However, the Deputy Chief Minister’s demand failed to pacify the agitated opposition members, who started shouting slogans like ‘Pakistan Hai Hai’, ‘Pakistan Ki Goondagardhi Naheen Chalegi, Naheen Chalegi’ and ‘Ninda Parstaav Pass Karo, Pass Karo’.
“This Assembly is not ready to speak against Pakistan”, BJP MLA Ashok Khajuria remarked. JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma wanted to know why can’t the State Assembly endorse the resolution of Indian Parliament by standing from the seats against Pakistan National Assembly?
As all Jammu based Opposition MLAs were near the Well shouting slogans and protesting the Pakistan National Assembly resolution, Congress MLA from Bhaderwah and former Minister Mohammad Sharief Niaz also stood up on his seat and described Pakistan National Assembly’s resolution on Afzal Guru as condemnable and interference into internal affairs of India.
“We asked Pakistan to take Ajmal Kasab’s body when he was hanged for his involvement in Mumbai attack. They (the Pakistan) refused as it would have exposed their involvement in the terror attack. We strongly condemn Pakistan Assembly’s resolution. They shouldn’t have interfered into internal affairs of the country”, Mr Niaz said.
The Congress leader was supported by his party MLAs-Indu Pawar, Ashok Kumar and Krishen Chander Bhagat from their seats.
Referring to protests by the Opposition members, CPM MLA MY Tarigami said our senior members are on their feet on the question of Pakistan National Assembly resolution.
“Our Parliament has rejected the resolution. Whether they (the opposition MLAs) feel Parliament has no jurisdiction over the State Assembly”? Mr Tarigami asked.
As some of the Opposition MLAs were seen shouting towards the National Conference members, this provoked Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, who said: “we need no certificate from you”. This led to heated exchanges among the Opposition members and Mr Sagar for a while after which Balwant Singh Mankotia, Jugal Kishore and Ashok Khajuria went atop their tables along with other MLAs and indulged in heavy sloganeering like ‘Pakistan Hai Hai’ and ‘Coalition Sarkar Ko, Ek Dhaka Aur Do’.
Mr Mankotia tried to pick up the mike in front of the first row of opposition benches to throw it but the Marshals took control of the mike.
After disrupting the House proceedings (Question Hour) for 28 minutes, all MLAs of BJP, NPP, NJP breakaway group and JSM staged a walk-out in the House.
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