Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: Both Houses of the Legislature were today rocked by protests from the Opposition members followed by a walk-out against assault on Kashmiri student in Haryana. In Assembly, some of the MLAs demanded that a resolution should be adopted and sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to stop attacks on Kashmiri students.
As the Assembly began proceedings this morning, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and NC MLA Ali Mohammed Sagar raised the issue and demanded a reply from the State Government.
“This is happening repeatedly now and then with the Kashmiri students. They are being beaten despite assurances by the Government. They have failed to stop the assaults,” Sagar said.
The members of the NC, the Congress, CPI(M) and the PDF stood up and started protesting, asking the Government to ensure the students’ safety. Some of the MLAs had also brought banners with them with writing `Stop Harassing Kashmiri Students’.
While raising the issue, Tarigami said such incidents had serious implications.
“The prevailing uncertain situation in Kashmir gets compounded by such incidents…This is not an isolated incident against Kashmiris.
“In the past, similar incidents have happened in Rajasthan and other states. It is a hate campaign which has been unleashed on Kashmiri Muslims outside the state and has patronage of the ruling party in the country,” Tarigami alleged and strongly batted for adoption of a resolution in the Assembly for putting an end to such incidents.
Tarigami said Modi should assure safe environment for Kashmiri students, businessmen, labourers and others across the country.
He should also assure the people that such heinous crimes would be probed and those found involved be punished according to the law, he added.
The Opposition demanded passage of the resolution in the House, a demand which didn’t find favour. The MLAs then staged a walkout from the House in the protest shouting slogans like `Pakoda Sarkaar Hai Hai’, `Qaatil Sarkaar Hai Hai’ and `Giriraj Ki Jubaan Ko, Lagaam Do Lagaam Do’. NC Legislature Party leader Omar Abdullah also staged a walk-out.
National Conference MLA from Nagrota Devender Rana raised the issue of custodial killing at Janipura police station, murder of a Bakerwal girl in Hiranagar and killing of a woman at Satwari during demolition.
Rana said Jammu is known for its secularism and this secular character should be maintained. He took a dig at the BJP members for not raising the issue of killing of Bakerwal girl in Hiranagar. He then staged walk-out in the House. Later, Rana raised the issue of Anganwari workers.
Meanwhile, Opposition National Conference and a Congress member today staged walk-out from the Upper House amidst heated exchanges with members of treasury benches and raising slogans, to lodge their protest against the alleged attack on two Kashmiri students in Haryana.
As the Chairman Haji Anayat Ali entered the House and just tried to commence the normal business with the Question hour, the Opposition NC Members led by Showkat Hussain Ganai stood up from their seats and raised the issue with regard to the attack on a Kashmiri student in Haryana and demanded reply from the Government. They alleged that attacks on the Kashmiri students outside J&K have increased for the last several months and it was very serious issue.
Congress member Ghulam Nabi Monga and NC Member Sajjad Kichloo besides Ali Mohd Dar and Qaiser Jamsheed Lone also alleged that Government has failed to protect the Kashmiri students outside the state and attack on them was a matter of serious concern. They alleged that Kashmiri youth were being targeted and Government was unable to protect them.
Minister Incharge Social Welfare, Sajjad Gani Lone said members should avoid to flare up such incidents. He said Haryana Government has registered an FIR and action under law would be taken against the alleged accused. He also said that it is not happening now only but for the last three decades. But he termed it unfortunate and said that the Government has taken cognizance of it.
The members got agitated over the reply of Minister. Then the BJP Members also stood up and started to counter it. Both sides indulged in the heated arguments. The Members then moved near the Well and after lodging protest they staged walk out. No other Congress members including Muzaffar Parray, Th Balbir Singh, Sham Lal Bhagat, Rani Billoria and Naresh Gupta joined Monga in the walk out at around 11.10 minutes after disrupting proceedings for ten minutes.
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