Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 24: Cutting across the party lines, Opposition and Treasury benches today created ruckus in the Upper House and demanded apology from Social Welfare Minister Sajjad Lone over his ‘harsh remarks’ to a lawmaker of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday.
As soon as the House met this morning, the members from ruling People’s Democratic Party and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) as well Opposition Congress and National Conference (NC) created ruckus and protested against Lone’s remarks to PDP lawmaker, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas. The Minister had allegedly accused the lawmaker of “playing to the galleries for media publicity” and told him not to “shout” when Manhas was seeking answer with regard to tribal affairs.
“Ministers are accusing the members of playing to the galleries and creating noise in the house. This is not the matter of individual member but of the whole House and its sanctity,” said Congress legislator, Ghulam Nabi Monga. He said the lawmakers are public representatives and are in the House to raise issues of public. “What is this to say ‘don’t shout’ to a member?”.
Monga said the behavior of Ministers towards the legislators is “highly regretful and condemnable”. “If we won’t raise issues here then what is the fun of coming here and participating in discussions when the Ministers are not ready to listen? The behavior of Ministers towards the legislators is condemnable and yesterday’s incident in which Minister used harsh words against the member of house is unfortunate. We have seen that how the Ministers are non-serious towards this house,” he said and sought apology from Social Welfare Minister before the House.
Monga was supported by members of all parties including those from BJP and PDP and they also demanded apology from the Minister. Infuriated at the charge of Minister, the PDP lawmaker, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas said he doesn’t need any publicity and termed the remark of Lone “unfortunate”.
“I don’t need any publicity. I have achieved a lot in my life and I am contended with it but we are here to raise public issues. Unfortunately this notion is being given by the Ministers that we are playing to the galleries for cheap publicity which is unfortunate,” said Manhas. He said the Ministers of Coalition should “behave properly” with the legislators while replying to questions and queries.
The BJP lawmaker, Vibodh Gupta, also termed the behavior of Minister condemnable.
With legislators of both Opposition and ruling parties joining hands against the Social Welfare Minister, who is in the Cabinet on the quota of BJP, the House proceedings got disrupted for few minutes.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Minister for Law, Abdul Haq Khan, termed the remarks “regretful”. “Whatever has happened is regretful. The House members should be tolerant to each other’s diverse view points and sometimes there are heated arguments among members or with Ministers but, we as responsible people, should tackle such issues in positive way,” he said. The Minister’s statement defused the situation.
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