Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 3: Upper House of the J&K Legislature today witnessed protests, noisy scenes and frequent disruptions, followed by walk-out by the opposition National Conference and Congress members, even though the Chairman of the Council adjourned the House for brief stint.
The uproar in the Legislative Council was witnessed immediately after the Chairman Haji Anayat Ali entered the House and announced the commencement of the `Question Hour’. The Opposition Congress Member, Ghulam Nabi Monga and NC member Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo stood up and demanded that in view of serious human rights violations in Kashmir and innocent killings, the Chairman should allow half an hour discussion on the subject in the House.
Monga moved the motion and pleaded the Chairman to allow discussion on the subject as the issue was of serious nature. The Chairman rejected the motion and asked him to allow smooth passage of Question Hour.
Upon this other Opposition members including, Naresh Gupta, Balbir Singh, Sham Bhagat, Rani Gargi Billoria, Sham Lal Bhagat from Congress, Ali Mohd Dar, Qaisar Jamsheed Lone, Showkat Ganai and Aga Sayed Mehmood also stood up and joined the Monga and Kichloo.
They repeatedly pleaded with the Chairman to allow discussion on HR violations in the House but the Chairman tried to pacify them and asked them to take their seats. It was followed by protests by the Opposition members against PDP-BJP Govt. They shouted slogans- ” Pellet Sarkar Hai Hai, Qatil Sarkar Hai Hai….. and so on.”
PDP members Surinder Choudhary, Saifuddin Bhat and Yasir Reshi raised counter allegations. They reminded the NC of killings during 2010 and claimed that NC gave birth to the militancy and bloodshed in the State. There were some heated exchanges between the members treasury benches and opposition for some time. They leveled allegations and counter allegations but with the intervention of Leader of the House Naeem Akhtar and Minister for CAPD, the PDP members turned silent. The members started protesting loudly thumping benches.
The Chairman decided to go ahead with questions but nothing was clearly audible in the din. The protesting members then went into the well of the House at around 11.20 am just in front of the chair of Chairman and started protest there raising loud slogans against PDP-BJP Government. Earlier, they disrupted proceedings for about seven minutes. Then amidst noise, the Chairman adjourned the House at 11.25 am.
When the House resumed its business at around 11.33 am, the NC and Congress members again stood up and started protest. The Chairman continued question hour raising the questions of members from ruling coalition. The protesting members then again went into the well and continued their protest. There was total noise in the House and repeated attempts of the Chairman failed to bring the House in order. The members alleged that Chairman was bias and was not allowing opposition to raise their issues. Then amidst strong protests, the NC and Congress members staged walk out from the House at round 11.55 am. The opposition members did not take up their questions during the proceedings.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
