Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: The Legislative Assembly today witnessed ruckus over the power crisis in various areas of Jammu and arrest of several youth during the past few days by the security forces in Kashmir valley thereby delaying the start of Question Hour.
As soon as the House assembled, the members of BJP, National Panthers Party and Jammu State Morcha stood up and resorted to anti-Government protests over its failure to provide uninterrupted power supply to the people of various areas.
Seeking reply from the Government about damage to hundreds of transformers in remote and rural areas and unscheduled power cuts, the members of BJP led by Jugal Kishore Sharma, NPP MLAs led by Harshdev Singh and lone JSM Member Ashwani Sharma trooped into the well of the House.
Though the Speaker Mubarak Gul tried to bring an end to ruckus by assuring that he would allow the agitating MLAs to raise their issue after Question Hour yet protests continued with the BJP, NPP and JSM members raising slogans—-“Bijli Mantri Hai Hai” and “Bijli Pani Na De Jo Woh Sarkar Nikammi Hai”.
They highlighted large scale damage of transformers in remote and rural areas and failure of the Government to change and repair them resulting in several problems to the people. “Transformers remain non-repaired for months together and nobody from the Government taking this issue seriously”, Harshdev Singh said.
In the meantime, PDP MLAs too stood up and started protesting over the arrest of youths by the security forces in the Kashmir valley during the past few days leading to total chaos in the House. As the pandemonium continued to hold hostage the House, Speaker Mubarak Gul allowed Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti to raise her issue. However, BJP, NPP and JSM intensified their protest and repeatedly disrupted Mehbooba Mufti. On this she remarked, “there seems to be a match fixing. Nobody wants to listen us”.
Though after 14 minutes long protest, the BJP, JSM and NPP MLAs returned to their seats on the directions of the Speaker but following no response from the Government they staged walk-out after dubbing the Government as inefficient.
While highlighting the issue of arrest of youths during the past few days in Kashmir valley, Mehbooba Mufti said, “Kashmir has been virtually converted into a prison where only Government and its apologists enjoy freedom”, adding “there is genuine sense of alienation among the people as teenagers are arrested under draconian laws and the place has been virtually handed over to police and security forces”.
“Instead of trying to empathize with the public sentiment, the State Government has let loose its might on mourners who wanted to express sympathy with Afzal Guru’s family who were denied even the most elementary facility and their right to meet the executed prisoner even on last time”, she said while demanding immediate release of arrested youth.
Talking to reporters outside the Assembly after staging walkout, Jugal Kishore Sharma demanded removal of the Government for its failure to provide smooth power and water supply. “We have brought to the notice of senior officials of the Power Development Department including Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah the issue of damage of transformers but nothing was done resulting in sufferings of the people”, he added.
NPP MLA, Harshdev Singh said, “Chief Minister has failed to do justice with the Power Department, which he claimed, was in a very bad state”, adding “huge money has come from the Centre and we sought an explanation from the Government where has this money gone, which was aimed to better the power infrastructure in the State”.
JSM member Ashwani Sharma said, “we urge the Government to undertake immediate repair or change of transformers so that people are provided better power supply”.
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