NC, Cong protest in well; stage walk-out

Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 2: The Opposition National Conference and Congress Legislators held strong protest in the well of the Upper House and staged walk-out after disrupting proceedings for about 15 minutes in the House, demanding reply from the Government on the killings of innocents in Kashmir and detention of hundreds of people in Valley.
After the massive disruption in the proceedings in the Central Hall of the Legislature, the Upper House commenced its business at 12 noon on the first day of the Budget Session. As the Chairman Legislative Council Anayat Ali entered the House, the NC and Congress members stood up and started protests demanding that Government should reply on the killings of innocents people in Kashmir during unrest, detention of Kashmiri youth under PSA and causing injuries to thousands due to pellet guns.
National Conference members demanded that names of those killed in Kashmir during unrest should also be included in the obituary reference of the Upper House and tributes should also be paid to them. Earlier, they were standing near their benches but later moved to the well of the House and started protest. They were also raising slogans against PDP-BJP and waving placards carrying slogans.
Chairman of the Council tried to control the situation and asked the members to read obituary references and pay tributes to the departed members of this and the Lower House but the members continued their protest. Among the opposition members Congress Legislators Jugal Kishore (CLP leader) and Naresh Gupta read the obituary briefly. Naresh Gupta demanded that names of those killed in Pak shelling along borders and also Military and paramilitary forces along borders and Kashmir agitation should also be included in the list of obituary references.
The repeated interventions of the Chairman failed to restore order in the House. Then he asked the members from the ruling party to go ahead with the proceedings but in the din, nothing was audible. NC member Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri was wearing a black apron with slogans and displaying placard. Then after holding protest for about 15 minutes in the well of the house, the opposition members including- Sajjad Kichloo, Dr BA Veeri, Showkat Ganai, Ali Mohd Dar, Master Noor Hussain, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, Shehnaz Ganai, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Muzaffar Parray, Naresh Gupta, Jugal Kishore Sharma and Rani Gagri Billowaria staged walk out of the House.
Earlier, the Congress member Ghulam Nabi Monga demanded setting up of Joint House Committee to hold inquiry into the alleged negligence on the part of Govt Medical College and Hospital Jammu staff resulting into the death of MLC Ramesh Arora’s son. The other members also insisted upon framing a House Committee. The Chairman then announced framing of Joint House Committee to probe the matter including two members from the Lower House.
While paying tributes to Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha, Mohd Shafi Qureshi ( former Governor and Union Minister), Pt Mangat Ram, DS Oberoi and others, Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar launched attack on the opposition. He said at least the Opposition NC and Congress members should have given due respect to Late Shafi Qureshi, Lt Mangat Ram and of course, the sitting MLC DS Oberoi. He said everybody have to leave this world and on such issue there should not be any politics. At least on such issues, one should rise above party lines and join others in paying tributes to the people who have contributed in both the Houses and the public service in general. PDP member, Firdous Tak and some others also strongly condemned the behaviour of NC-Congress members who staged walk out without paying tributes to the departed Legislators and former Governor. The proceedings concluded by observing two-minute silence by all members to pay respect to sitting MLC, DS Oberoi who passed away in Delhi hardly four days back.

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