Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 23: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today accused the Speaker of the Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather of imposing a form of “martial law”.
Mufti said the role of the Speaker of an Assembly is to safeguard the rights of the members of the House and not act as a censor.
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“While Rather may be concerned with preserving the sanctity of Legislative proceedings, as Speaker, his primary role is to safeguard the rights of members, not to act as a censor,” she posted on X.
Mufti’s remarks came after Rather took serious note of publicity of the House business notices ahead of the Budget session and had asked the members to desist from committing a breach of privilege.
The PDP chief said transparency and public awareness about legislative activities should not be seen as an infringement on Parliamentary practices.
“On the contrary, informing the public about notices, questions and resolutions in advance promotes accountability. Many significant parliamentary bills, such as the recent Waqf Bill, are debated publicly for months,” she said.
“Regrettably, it appears that Rather, a seasoned politician, is imposing a form of martial law while occupying a constitutional position,” she added.
Meanwhile at south Kashmir’s Pulwama, Mufti joined the party’s signature campaign seeking a ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
The campaign was launched by her daughter and party leader Iltija Mufti here yesterday.
Talking to reporters in Pulwama, Mufti appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to support the bills brought by her party.
“I request Abdullah to lend his support to pass these bills. I request the speaker that his role is to safeguard the rights of the members and not to threaten them not to talk on the resolutions and bills to be brought in the Assembly. What is this? There should be a debate on those in the public,” she said.
The PDP Chief also appealed to Omar that such business rules should not be framed in the Union Territory that put a stamp of approval on the unconstitutional and illegal decisions of August 5, 2019 and that too by a popular Government like his.
Mufti saif that the National Conference, with 50 MLAs and 2 MPs, must take a firm stand on key issues, including Article 370 and 35A, and not shy away from discussing them openly.
She urged Omar to speak on matters concerning the youth without fear or pressure.
Mufti told a gathering that her party had introduced bills aimed at benefiting the poor, including those living in gas farms and schools.
She appealed to Omar to support these initiatives and also called on the Speaker to protect the rights of legislators, stating that members should not be threatened or restricted from discussing important resolutions in public.
“The people have the right to know about major issues. If a wrong and unconstitutional decision was made in 2019, business rules should not be framed in a way that legitimizes it under a popular government,” she said.
She also criticized the lack of discussion on issues such as tourism, youth welfare, and substance abuse, stating that political leaders must address these concerns instead of avoiding them.
Mufti reaffirmed her commitment to protecting public rights and ensuring that the government remains accountable to the people.
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