JAMMU, Mar 19:
Pandemonium today prevailed in the Assembly over an Independent member demanding the return of Afzal Guru’s mortal remains to his family, leading to protests and a walkout by the opposition parties from the House.
During the Question Hour, Independent member Engineer Abdul Rashid trooped into the Well demanding resolution on Guru and held protests.
The Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul, replying to him, said that the issue has been discussed and Government has put forth his point of view on the issue and so there will be no resolution on it.
Meanwhile, JKNPP, BJP and JSM members also said that they had also brought resolutions on 73rd amendment of Panchayati Raj Act and wanted to know about fate of these resolutions.
As they were raising the issue, Rashid made some comments which triggered protests from the opposition members, who trooped into the Well of the House asking Speaker to remove him from the House.
Harshdev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia of JKNPP said that they will not allow this House to be used to “glorify and support” the cause of terrorists like Guru.
“We will not allow anything to be raised in this regard– how can we tolerate this (behaviour of Rashid)”, Mankotia said.
As the independent legislator continued to project Guru as a “martyr”, Mankotia rushed towards him for a possible scuffle but some members and marshalls surrounded Rashid and prevented the JKNPP MLA to reach him.
The Speaker intervened in the matter, saying that Rashid’s demand are justified.
“What is big thing in it– what is he (Rashid) demanding– he is not demanding Pakistan– he is not demanding independence– he is demanding return of the mortal remains of Guru to the family”.
Enraged over this, while the opposition parties staged a walkout from the House, there was high-pitched verbal duels between Congress ministers and MLAs with its coalition partner National Conference’s ministers in the House.
As the House turned battle ground between the two coalition partners, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. (AGENCIES)
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