Srinagar, Sept. 29 -- Ruckus erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday over the adoption of a resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah a day ago demanding urgent restoration of full statehood.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the BJP has moved a motion seeking Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather's removal for allowing the resolution, and has left it to his conscience to step down. The BJP said the resolution for full statehood, passed by the Assembly on Monday, was allowed by the Speaker in contravention of the rules. As soon as the Assembly proceedings began on Tuesday, Sharma alleged that the Speaker allowed the resolution despite advice from the Law Department that it was "unconstitutional".
"I leave it to the conscience of the Speaker to step down from the chair," the LoP said. However, the treasury benches took to their feet and shouted slogans, such as "vote chor", against the opposition. The Speaker asked the members to take their seats. "I know what my powers and functions are as a Speaker. There is a procedure for it, which I informed you yesterday. Do not teach me how to function," Rather said. This infuriated the BJP MLAs, who started shouting slogans in the House.
On Monday, the Speaker had said the motion for his removal would come in the list of the business after 14 days. Pointing to BJP MLA R S Pathania, Rather said, "You are a good lawyer; you can bring the motion. If you read Rule No 215, the procedure to be followed is laid down in it. A motion should be entered in the list of business any day after 14 days of submission of the motion." As the BJP members continued their sloganeering, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary said the House is for discussions and not for sloganeering. "The BJP should have spoken on the resolution yesterday and told the House that they don't want statehood and special status for Jammu and Kashmir. They are sabotaging everything," Chaudhary said, adding, "They should peacefully put their point of view here."
As the Speaker called for Question Hour proceedings, the BJP MLAs staged a walkout. However, they returned to their seats later. National Conference president and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah arrived in the Assembly during the Zero Hour and witnessed the proceedings from the Speaker's gallery. Speaker Rather announced Abdullah's presence in the House and said, "Please join me in welcoming him." During the Zero Hour, BJP MLA P K Gupta referred to Minister Sakina Itoo's remarks that the BJP had supported the autonomy resolution in 2000, and said that his father and former MLA Shiv Charan Gupta had not supported it.
Deputy chief minister Surinder Chaudhary, quoting then ruling party members, said Gupta's father had "helped us by staging a walkout". "Stop doing this drama," Chaudhary said. Minister Sakina Itoo said the BJP should first apologise to the chair for the kind of words they used in the House on Monday. The BJP MLAs then shouted at the treasury benches, with National Conference MLA Altaf Kaloo also charging towards the Well of the House. After a brief verbal duel with National Conference MLAs, the BJP MLAs returned to their seats. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he has been directed by the party high command to set the record straight. "They want me to correct the record in the Assembly. He (NC president Farooq Abdullah) was the Leader of the House. Lalaji did not vote in favour of the autonomy and staged a walkout. (But) he did not vote against the resolution," Abdullah said. The House proceedings resumed then.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.