JAMMU :The State Assembly today witnessed unruly scenes as the opposition did not allow the House to function over its demand for setting up new administrative units in “ignored” areas of the State, forcing adjournment for the day.
Opposition PDP members trooped into the well alleging discrimination against certain areas which had not received new administrative units, which was followed by a scuffle between them and security staff that led to PDP MLA Mustaq Ahmed Shah getting injured.
As the Assembly began its proceedings for the day, PDP members led by Mehbooba Mufti stood up from the benches holding placards depicting discrimination in setting up new administrative units and marched into well of the House.
Speaker Mubarak Gul called the wait-and-watch staff into the well, leading to scuffle between them and PDP members for nearly half an hour amid uproarious scenes.
PDP MLAs were joined by members of BJP, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and Independent members Hakeem Yasin and Engineer Rashid protesting alleged discrimination against their areas by the Omar Abdullah Government.
Even Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni was seen standing in protest as the opposition demanded new administrative units.
The Speaker’s requests for calm in the House failed to pacify opposition, forcing him adjourn the House first for 15 minutes, then once more, before being adjourned for the day.
“We will not allow the House to run unless and until our demands of inclusion of our areas in the list of the new administrative units are not met by the Government,” Mufti told reporters here.
When the House reassembled after the second adjournment, PDP MLA Mustaq Ahmed Shah of Tral Assembly segment got injured when he got pushed by a Marshal and fell on a chair.
Tempers ran high as PDP MLAs resorted to throwing of chairs, tables and mikes resulting in pandemonium in the House, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.
Commenting on the chaos, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on his Twitter account, “Seems they (opposition) really are totally shaken up by our decision to create so many new administrative units which has been well received”.
“Want to see shameful behaviour of elected representatives – check out the opposition in the J&K assembly standing on tables,” he said.
An angry Mehboob said, “People are protesting,legislators are bleeding and Omar Abdullah prefers tweeting.”
“Instead of coming to the House, he prefers to tweet. He has said PDP MLAs should feel sorry. Sorry for what? He (Omar) should feel (sorry) as there was a suspicious murder of Haju Yousef (NC worker) at his residence and JKCA scam involving Dr Farooq Abdullah,” she said.
Defending the administrative units set up by the NC-led Government, Minister for Planning and senior NC leader Ajay Sadhotra said, “PDP is frustrated over the historic decision of Omar Abdullah. No area has been discriminated against.”
After the House reassembled the first time, several PDP members threw chairs, thumped tables and several opposition members went up on the reporting tables in the well of the House and continued protesting, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house for second time in the day.
There were heated exchanges between independent MLA from Langat constituency Engineer Rashid, who uprooted a mike, and NC minister Mohammad Akbar Lone.
After the MLA was injured, PDP members and watch and ward staff rushed him to doctors in a medical unit in central hall, and later referred him to GMC hospital for further medical treatment.
Doctors said he has suffered injuries due to falling on the chair.
Mufti said, “They are behaving like animals with our honourable MLA. He did not carry a sword but was only agitating for inclusion of his area ignored by the Government in list of new administrative units. It is condemnable.”
The PDP leader said there is no fixed criteria for grant of these units and demanded that the Government should mention certain rules in this connection.
“They ignored the Gania committee report…Did not discuss it in the House. And now, if they gave over 600 instead of over 222 areas, what is the problem to include some more areas and put an end to protests in the areas?” she said.
BJP MLA Jugal Kishore said, “Jammu has been ignored in grant of new administrative units. Jandrah, which is in Naibat for past over 30 years, has not been made a tehsil. It is the biggest discrimination. House will run only after the ignored areas are included in the list.”
Harsh Dev Singh of JKNPP alleged that the NC-Congress coalition Government had ignored areas of other party MLAs and “distributed these units among themselves”.
Hakeem Yasin called for a direction to the Government for inclusion of left out areas in the list. “A committee should be set up over the issue to decide the matter. Deserving areas were ignored. It has resulted in chain of protests,” he said.
PDP MLA Zulfikar said, “There are protests for past seven days in Darhal in support of the demands. The Government should address these demand.” (AGENCIES)
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