LA resumes budget session after recess on turbulent note

Jammu, Mar 27: The J&K Legislative Assembly resumed its budget session, after 34-day long recess, at a turbulent note on Friday with bedlam prevailing in the House amid sloganeering, scuffle leading to the adjournment, thus consuming the entire Question Hour.

Disorder was the order, right from the word ‘Go’ as the House assembled for the day’s proceedings.

Pandemonium in the House, divided in two warring zones of legislators, was on account of “unjustified US-Israel aggression on Iran, assassination of supreme Iranian leader” – the issues raised by all MLAs, minus those of BJP, who were equally strident while raising their demand for National Law University (NLU) in Jammu.

As the noisy scenes, marking even slogans against the Prime Minister, continued to prevail for around 27 minutes and the MLAs remained unrelenting, not allowing the Question Hour despite his repeated attempts, the Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House for half an hour.

Sloganeering against the Prime Minister, mainly by the Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez Lone, even led to scuffle between him and BJP legislators, who too raised slogans against the Congress’ national leadership.

As soon as the House met at 10 am, the MLAs from both sides were up carrying placards, posters of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader, National Law University for Jammu amid slogans.

National Conference, Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and independents raised slogans in favour of Ali Khamenei and war-ravaged Iran and against Israel-America. CPI-M MLA M Y Tarigami demanded condemnation of US-Israel aggression on Iran by the House.

BJP’s protesting MLAs were carrying placards demanding NLU (for Jammu) amid slogans seeking justice for Jammu.

Amid the utter chaos, National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq, with a black head-gear “Khamenei” printed on it and also carrying a big poster of Khamenei, wanted to speak yet the Speaker did not allow him.

Speaker tried to restore order yet in vain. the Chief Minister and the ministers kept on watching them quietly.

Protesting members from both sides gathered at the front desk. They even tried to storm the well yet marshals did not allow them.

Speaker asked them not to disrupt Question Hour. He assured that he would allow them to speak after Question Hour.

“Let the Question Hour proceed as we all have come here not for sloganeering. After the Question Hour, you can raise your issues in an orderly manner, I’ll give full opportunity to all of you. There may be important issues but they can be flagged after the Question Hour,” he tried to placate the agitating MLAs.

After 3 minutes of ruckus, the Speaker managed to initiate Question Hour. First question was of BJP MLA Yudhvir Sethi. As the Minister Sakina Itoo started reading the reply, the BJP members were up again.

Following it, the treasury benches too resumed protest. Utter chaos again returned to the House. “Israel Murdabad”; “US Murdabad”; “Iran Zindabad”; “Khamenei Zindabad”; “Amriki Dehshatgardi Band Karo”; “Masoomon K Qatl-e-Aam Band Karo”…on one hand and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”; “Vande Mataram”; “Jammu Ko Insaaf Do”; “Jammu Mangey NLU”; “We want justice”…etc., on the other side rocked the House. Some members were agitating while standing on their desks.

As it continued for 20 minutes, the Speaker asked them what they (protesting MLAs) wanted from him. He directed them to take their seats yet they remained unrelenting.

NC’s Nazir Gurezi suggested that the Leader of the House should make a statement condemning the incident. BJP’s Surjit Singh Slathia, when allowed by the Speaker to speak, stated that NLU was an issue.

This irked the other side and they again resumed sloganeering. In the meanwhile, Congress’ Irfan Hafeez Lone, while criticising the silence of the central government against aggression on Iran and killing of its leaders, raised anti-PM slogans. BJP members responded with anti-Rahul Gandhi slogans.

BJP MLA Yudhvir Sethi joined by party colleagues Arvind Gupta and Satish Sharma (Billawar MLA) engaged into a scuffle with Congress MLA. They were separated by the marshals with great difficulty. Later Lone and BJP MLA Shagun Parihar too got engaged in a brief verbal duel.

As the pandemonium continued to prevail, the Speaker at 10.27 am, adjourned the House for half-an hour. When the House reassembled at 11.11 am, the members were again up. NC’s Tanvir Sadiq again tried to raise his point. Speaker disallowed saying, “All of you did not listen to me and you already said (during ruckus) what you had to.” Tanvir insisted for a brief statement by the Leader of the House (Chief Minister).

Speaker said he had no objection but the BJP members led by Sham Sharma objected. Finally, after a brief discussion, the Chief Minister did make a statement condemning the assassination of the Iranian leader and others and expressing solidarity of the entire House.

In fact, Congress and NC legislators had stated a protest demonstration outside the House as well on the issue before the commencement of the session. Congress legislators were agitating against downsizing of security cover of its senior leaders besides other MLAs.

On the other hand, BJP MLAs too had joined the “Secretariat Chalo” march of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in support of their demand for NLU in Jammu besides other issues.