NC stages walkout, boycotts speech

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 30

For the first time ever in the history of Budget sessions, the National Conference (NC) boycotted the speech of Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu in the Assembly today. It was protesting delay in the panel report on Handwara killings.

As soon as the Finance Minister started his Budget speech, NC members and Independent legislator Engineer Rashid were on their feet to protest delay in the probe report on Handwara killings.

They sought an assurance from Speaker Kavinder Gupta on the panel report. They had been assured by him last week that the report would be out in a couple of days.

When Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti told the Finance Minister to go ahead with his speech amid noisy scenes, the NC members staged a walkout after standing in their benches for about 15 minutes.

The Independent MLA from Langate in Kupwara district came to the well of the House, seeking an assurance from the Speaker and the Chief Minister on the report on Handwara killings last month. Marshals forced him out of the House, following which proceedings continued smoothly.

Intervening in the matter, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri asked opposition members to maintain order. “We will do it at an appropriate time,” he said, but NC members were relentless.

He lamented that disturbance was being carried during the Budget speech for the first time. He had been representing Bijbehara, the home constituency of the Muftis, for the past three consecutive terms, after his first byelection in 1999.

Opposition parties, including members of the NC and Congress, protested when Question Hour began. The NC demanded the report on Handwara killings, which took place last month.

With Veeri’s intervention, proceedings continued like normal. “Let the members sit. Let us know what is the issue,” he said.