Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 29: Azadi remarks by the National Conference legislator, Showkat Ahmed Ganai created furore in the Upper House of the State Legislature today followed by verbal clash between the BJP and the Opposition National Conference Members, disrupting proceedings for about 18 minutes in the House.
The trouble was created after the Chairman of the Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali, suspended the Question Hour on the request of Opposition NC and Congress members to allow discussion in the House on the killings of two youth in Shopian during Army action. The members were participating in the discussion and expressing their views over the incident.
As the House commenced proceedings, the NC Member Sajjad Kichloo and Congress member Ghulam Nabi Monga stood up and pressed for holding discussion over the issue of killing of two youth at Shopian. The other opposition members also pressed for it and then the Chairman allowed the same.
Earlier, NC member Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, Yasir Reshi, Surinder Ambardar and Ghulam Nabi Monga participated in the discussion and expressed serious concern over the matter. Qaiser and Monga demanded registration of FIR and holding of time bound Magisterial inquiry into the incident while Surinder Mohan Ambardar said “we should not jump into conclusion at the stage when probe is being initiated.”
He said terrorism is the vital component of Pak’s Defence policy and shift in the Pak’s policy has been observed after 1971 war. There is need to understand the whole phenomenon.
Ramesh Arora said that there was need to curb ‘political terrorism’ and ‘political provocation’ in the State.
As the NC Member Ganai started anti-security forces remarks and also trained guns at New Delhi accusing BJP for the present crisis in Kashmir and the killings of innocent people, starting bullet and pellet spree in Kashmir, the BJP and PDP members stood up and interrupted him. On this, both the sides were involved in allegations and counter allegations and heated arguments.
The verbal clash between the NC and the BJP Members, reached the high pitch as the NC member said that people of Jammu and Kashmir want ‘Azadi’.
BJP members Sofi Yousus, Vibodh Gupta, S Charanjeet Singh, Ramesh Arora, Surinder Mohan Ambardar, Vikram Randhawa, Pardeep Sharma, G L Raina, Ashok Khajuria and Ajatshatru Singh stood up and fire salvo at Ganai and other NC Members. The BJP Members demanded that Ganai has violated the oath of Constitution. He should tender apology or resign from his position. Sofi Yousuf and Arora said this is the second occasion that Ganai has raised “anti-India remarks” in the House for “cheap publicity”. They demanded that action should be taken against the Member.
The high pitched heated arguments between the BJP and NC members and spree of allegations and counter allegations disrupted the proceedings in the House for about 18 minutes.
Chairman Anayat Ali and Minister for R&B Naeem Akhtar failed to restore order in the House despite their repeated efforts. Vikram Randhawa asked the Chairman to expunge the objectionable words but no clear ruling came from the ‘Chair’, with the only assurance that it will be done.
Surinder Choudhary and Saifuddin Bhat from PDP were also involved in verbal spat with the Chairman on the issue that they were not allowed to speak on the issue while NC member Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo also followed it alleging that Chairman was ignoring opposition members and not giving them time to raise issue. Congress member Muzaffar Parray staged walk out protesting that he was not allowed to speak on the killings at Shopian.
After some time with the intervention of Leader of the House, Naeem Akhtar, the order was restored.
He said the Government is making all efforts for bringing sustainable peace in the State. He expressed deep grief over the killing of civilians at Shopian in Army firing.
Replying to the discussion on the Shopian firing and killing Minister said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has taken up the matter of civilian killings with Union Defence Minister and a probe has also been ordered into the tragic incident.
The Minister said an atmosphere is being created by vested interests to sabotage the peace efforts and the violent militancy related incidents are also hampering the peace efforts.
“Cutting across all the political barriers we need to build a consensus and to find a durable solution to this problem and to end the vicious cycle of violence that is destroying our lives, our economy, our education and our societal values,” he added.
“Dialogue is the only solution to and ultimate way for the resolution of the state’s problems,” he said.
He accused some TV Channels of having unleashed a vicious campaign against Kashmir and Kashmiris which he said is only adding fuel to the fire.
PDP Member Firdous Ahmad Tak called it a tragic incident and said that such incidents should not recur in future. “We do not need to politicize the matter but instead to build a consensus beyond party ideology and find a permanent solution to this issue,” he added.
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