Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone today ordered frisking of the Legislative Assembly Members (MLAs) for the security of the House.
The order comes a day after the Assembly witnessed unruly scenes yesterday when 3 youth unfurled the flag of a newly-floated party, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party, and shouted slogans in favour of new employment policy.
However, they were overpowered by Assembly marshals and placed under arrest on the orders of Speaker till October 10. The youth had got passes on the request of expelled BJP member, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, to witness the proceedings from the public gallery.
The Speaker informed the House that five security personnel were placed under suspension by the Additional Director General of Police Security in connection with the incident.
While ordering the frisking of the MLAs after Independent legislator Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid alleged that the MLAs were also frisked and their Personnel Assistance (PA) were not allowed to enter the House by the security personnel, the Speaker said: “It is a serious issue and I cannot compromise with the security of the House.”
He told the House that the order was passed after yesterday’s incident. “We have to take all measures to prevent such incidents in future”, he added.
Not satisfied with the Speaker’s order, MLA Rashid protested and demanded that MLAs should not be frisked. He said that they are elected members and still they are being frisked and their identity cards are being checked.
Irritated by his remarks, the Speaker said he has given orders to security personnel to conduct frisking of all MLAs if necessary. “If security forces suspect anything they have orders to conduct frisking,’ the Speaker told the House. “I have issued the passes and have the powers to cancel them”, he told the House.
MLA Rashid while lodging protest over the Speakers order shouted that the legislators are not being trusted. The Speaker in reply said: “How can we trust a member who takes oath under the Constitution and still demands plebiscite in the House.”
NC MLA, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, wanted to know if the chair had said it in anger that every MLA will be frisked, the Speaker replied: “There is no question of any anger but security of the House will not be compromised. I have said in clear terms that if security force personnel deployed outside the House doubt anybody they will conduct frisking. And security is for whole House not for him (Speaker) only.”
When other members also joined MLA Rashid and wanted the chair to allow PAs to enter the House, the Speaker said he has allowed the PAs of members to enter the House but after proper checking and frisking.
Later, Rashid walked out from the House in anger. The Speaker told him that no body takes him seriously now. “You are playing to the gallery. Your only concern is to make news so that your photograph is published in the newspapers.”
Some of the legislators pleaded the innocence of the security staff of the Assembly that was suspended by the police. The Speaker told the House that the security staff may have no fault but still they had to face suspension. He said that the higher ups of the security are looking at it and they will decide their fate.
Meanwhile, the security at the Assembly was further tightened today. There was extra frisking of people and the vehicles. The security passes issued by the Assembly Secretariat and identity cards of the journalists were checked properly before they were allowed in.
The visitors’ gallery of the Assembly was almost empty as hardly few visitors were allowed inside the gallery.
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