JAMMU : Opposition PDP and BJP MLAs today created a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly demanding inclusion of their areas in the list of new administrative units, before staging a walkout claiming they were not getting a satisfactory reply from the Government.
Carrying placards depicting demands for inclusion of various areas in the list, recently approved by the state Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP members trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans like ‘We want justice’.
However, they were surrounded by the watch and ward staff who tried to stop them from getting up on the table in the well, resulting in a scuffle for over an hour till the Question Hour was over.
The PDP members tore answer sheets and threw them into the well of the House, while some others stood atop opposition benches resorting to anti-Government slogans.
Threatening to suspend three PDP members if they did not desist from their behaviour, Speaker Mubarak Gul nevertheless continued the proceedings of the House and the Question Hour amidst the din.
He repeatedly appealed to the members to observe calm, saying the opposition members could raise their issues after the Question Hour.
However, BJP members, who were pressing for a reply from the government, staged a walkout from the House, followed by PDP MLAs.
State BJP chief and MLA Jugal Kishore Sharma said, “We wanted an answer and assurance from the Government that our left out and ignored areas would be accommodated in the list of new administrative units. The Government should do justice with the people who have been staging protests in various areas over the demand.
“The Government has ignored our protests and there was no response from them,” he told reporters.
Later, PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti told reporters nobody is listening to them from the Government and the only option left was to request the Governor’s intervention.
After the conclusion of the Question Hour, the Speaker told the opposition members that all their demands have been forwarded to the Government.
“I am serious over the issue. You should give time to the Government to study and reply accordingly,” he said.
Opposition PDP members yesterday flung chairs and mikes while some climbed atop the table of reporting staff as pandemonium broke out in the Assembly over the same demand, with a scuffle breaking out in which a party MLA was injured.
Leader of the Opposition in the House Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the Government for failing to respond to their demands despite our protests. “They should come out with a reply,” she said.
Heated words were exchanged between PDP’s Mansoor Hussain and National Conference’s Nasir Aslam Wani over the new administrative units as Wani hit out at PDP questioning them about their failure to raise the demands before the Cabinet Sub-Committee which went to almost all the districts and took note of the demands of the people.
Mufti said the Government had failed to respond to their demands and PDP has no option left but to submit a memorandum to Governor N N Vohra in this regard.
Later, a delegation of PDP members led by Mufti went to Raj Bhavan and presented a memorandum of demands to the officials there. (AGENCIES)
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