Jammu, Feb. 11 -- Winding up a discussion on the Union Territory's budget presented on February 6, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Indo-US trade deal would adversely impact one of Jammu and Kashmir's economic mainstays-- horticulture. "Few members praised the US trade deal here but I am still trying to figure out how it is going to benefit J&K. You (BJP government) may have safeguarded the sea food industry of Kerala but allowing zero duty access to tree-nuts and dry fruit from US will impact walnut, almond dry fruit growers here," he said. Omar further said, "We talk about promoting horticulture but you have agreed for zero duty access to fruits from the US. At least, the centre should have safeguarded apple. this is purely a Sauda (deal)." He also made some remarks against the BJP members following their repeated disruptions in his speech. Following which the BJP legislators were up on their feet and demanded an apology from the chief minister. Members from the treasury benches, including Omar's five ministers, also joined the sloganeering. Omar's remarks calling the US trade deal a "sauda" again saw BJP's criticism. Later, speaking to reporters Omar said that the US trade deal, which allowed duty-free imports of US almonds, apples, saffron, and kiwis, would badly hit local growers in J&K along with ruling out tendering an apology to the BJP members for his remarks. "I was willing to withdraw and rephrase if allowed to speak at the time but I was not given the opportunity. It's on the record now. When they (BJP) didn't let me speak, there was no need to apologise," he added. The CM also made it clear that Kashmiri people always played a historical and integral part in the annual Amarnath Yatra. Meanwhile, LoP Sunil Sharma, said, "Today's day in the proceedings of the J&K legislative assembly will be written in dark letters. The leader of the House, CM Omar Abdullah crossed the line of ethics and morality. It never happened before. He crossed all ethics, forgetting he is CM. The pride (of power) has gone into his head," he told reporters. Sharma stated that the party MLAs will not allow the House to function till CM takes back his words and tendered an unconditional apology. Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday lost his cool and hit out at BJP in the J&K legislative assembly over a question on mining. The BJP MLA Narinder Singh Raina has lodged a protest before speaker Rather. "Today I had a question on mining but no answers given by the minister concerned. I had asked that how closed crusher units were getting electricity tariffs how are they functioning while on the other hand electricity connections of farmers were being snapped," Raina said. "The question didn't go down well with the deputy CM and he started using derogatory language against me," he added. "In fact, both of them (the CM and the deputy CM) today used such language because they don't want to run the House so as to escape from public issues," he added. Meanwhile, the government in response to Raina's question, stated that at least 31 stone crusher units in the Union territory were owned directly or indirectly by politicians, bureaucrats or their close associates and relatives. The information was provided by the mining department....