Cong walks out over law and order

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 7

The Legislative Assembly here witnessed noisy scenes amid walkout by the Congress party and other legislators seeking adjournment motions to take up discussion on law and order situation in the state, ceasefire violations and unemployment.

The National Conference boycotted both the Houses of the Legislature to protest the suspension of four of its members — two each from the Assembly and the Legislative Council — on Tuesday. 

Speaker Kavinder Gupta after listening to the Opposition members and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s 

plea over the issue, decided to revoke the suspension of two National Conference  MLAs. 

The Speaker said since the session was of a brief duration it was important to allow all the members to attend for smooth functioning and proceedings of the House. 

Meanwhile, as the Speaker disallowed any discussion apart from the listed business, the Congress members joined by CPM MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) legislator Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and Independent Abdul Rashid Sheikh staged a walkout from the House. 

They boycotted Question Hour and returned after the beginning of Zero Hour.

Soon after Question Hour began, Congress legislators along with Tarigami, Yaseen and Abdul Rashid, aka Engineer Rashid, sought suspension of business to take up the discussions on the law and order situation, ceasefire violations and unemployment. 

While the Congress demanded discussion on the law and order situation in the wake of killing of an innocent person at the hands of unidentified assailants, the CPM and PDF members moved an adjournment motion 

to take up the issue of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta allowed the representatives to speak, though briefly. Tarigami also urged the Speaker to revoke the suspension of NC MLAs so that the proceedings of the House could be run smoothly.

Congress MLA and former minister Usman Majeed sought attention on adjournment motion to take up discussion on law and order situation. He also demanded revocation of NC MLAs’ suspension.