NC walks out over ‘bias’ against Kashmir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 27

The National Conference (NC) led by its working president Omar Abdullah staged a walkout from the Assembly here today over the alleged discrimination against Kashmir in sanctioning of an IIT and IIM.

Senior NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar criticised the PDP-BJP government for adopting a discriminatory approach towards Kashmir, particularly in the case of sanctioning an IIM last year, while referring to the earlier case of central universities in both Kashmir and Jammu regions.

“The government’s replies on these issues are unfortunately casual,” he said. He claimed that there was no seriousness on various issues, describing it as unfortunate.

He said this while raising a supplementary question during the Question Hour after the government gave a written reply to the question of Independent MLA Engineer Rashid.

The Langate MLA questioned the government’s approach over the issue and went to the well of the House. He later walked out of the House as noisy scenes were witnessed over the issue.

In its written reply, Education Minister Naeem Akhter said the Government of India had announced setting up of IITs in Jammu, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and an IIM in Jammu and Kashmir.

He stated that there was a mention of establishing an IIM in Jammu in the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan with the possibility of camps in the Kashmir valley.

The minister stated that the state government would take up the matter with the Centre while it would take up the issue of establishing an IIT in the Kashmir valley “at an appropriate time”.

Protest over Auqaf land

The National Conference (NC) twice walked out from the Legislative Council over non-tabling of the probe report into the Handwara incident and encroachment of Auqaf land in Jammu.

The NC members staged the first walkout from the Council when their demand for a constitution of a House committee to probe encroachment of Auqaf land was not accepted.

During the Question Hour, NC lawmaker Bashir Veeri raised the issue of Auqaf land encroachment in Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar. He wanted constitution of a House committee to probe the whole matter. Other NC lawmakers supported his demand.

While intervening, Minister for Public Works and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri said that there was no need for forming a committee.

“I assure the land would be retrieved,” said Veeri. Hitting out at the NC, he said that what they couldn’t do in 40 years, they should not expect the minister to do it now.

However, the Opposition members were dissatisfied with the assurance of the minister and they staged a walkout from House. They returned after some time.

After the Question Hour ended, NC lawmaker, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone raised the issue of Handwara killings, saying the government had not tabled the report about the incident. He said the government had assured the House that the probe report would be tabled, but it had not done it yet. As there was no reply from the government, the NC lawmakers again staged a walkout from the House.

Probe Pampore attack: BJP

The BJP sought an inquiry into the militants’ attack on a CRPF bus in which eight jawans were killed and 22 injured at Pampore near here on Saturday. State BJP president and MLA Sat Paul Sharma raised the issue and demanded that the House pay tributes to the jawans killed in the attack. The issue was also raised by Ravinder Raina and other members.