Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 5: On the second day of the J&K Assembly session today, tribute were paid to 57 ex-members, including former President Pranab Mukherjee, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
The main focus of the day was to honour the memory of many prominent leaders who have passed away. Initially, at 10 am, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather paid respects to these leaders, stating that they all worked for the betterment of the people.
During the session, the Assembly honoured the legacy of past Union Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) from Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Assembly recognized a wide range of leaders from the region, including Chaman Lal Gupta, Abdul Rashid Dar, Madan Lal Sharma, Mohammad Sharif Niaz, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Randhir Singh, Govind Ram and Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
“Their years of service and dedication to the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be recognized with gratitude,” the members said.
Tarigami, while speaking, termed Krishen Dev Sethi as the pioneer of Constitutional history in J&K. “This is history. You cannot change history,” he said while addressing the opposition benches.
“He (Sethi) said that the struggle for India’s independence and the struggle in J&K have taught us that religion does not promote differences.”
Bashir Ahmad Veeri, while speaking, said, “Chaman Lal Gupta provided us assistance during a time when it was difficult for us to live in Kashmir and we had to move to Jammu.” He also paid tribute to Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Minister Satish Sharma, while speaking about his father Madan Lal Sharma, said, “I could not make him proud when he was alive. I am here because of him,” adding, “These people are the foundation of democracy.”
Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat stated that leaders at the national level have always worked to ensure stability in J&K. “We want such people to be born and understand the pain of the people of J&K.”
PDP MLA Rafiq Ahmad Naik from Tral also mentioned Geelani in his speech. “Today, we are here to pay tribute to great personalities who have been members of this House or held high posts. Among them is Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Our political ideologies are very different, but he has been a member of this House,” he said.
Those listed for obituary references included: Pranab Mukherjee, ex-President of India; Atal Bihari Vajpayee, ex-Prime Minister of India; Somnath Chatterjee, ex-Speaker of Lok Sabha; Jagmohan Malhotra, ex-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir; Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, ex-Union Minister; P Namgyal, ex-Union Minister; Abdul Rashid Dar, ex-Chairman of the Legislative Council; Mian Bashir Ahmad, ex-Minister; Madan Lal Sharma, ex-Minister; Mohammad Sharif Niaz, ex-Minister; Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, ex-Minister; Thakur Randhir Singh, ex-Minister; Abdul Gani Mir, ex-Minister; Govind Ram, ex-Minister; Puran Singh, ex-Minister; Sardar Rafiq Hussain Khan, ex-Minister; Togdan Rimpoche, ex-Minister; Ghulam Qadir Mir, ex-Minister; Qazi Mohammad Atzal, ex-Minister; Devender Singh Rana, late member of the current Assembly; Prof. Bhim Singh, ex-MLA; Krishan Dev Sethi, ex-Member of the Constituent Assembly; Haji Abdul Aziz Parray, ex-MLA; Mohammad Yasin Shah, ex-MLA; Rachpal Singh, ex-MLA; Peer Ab Gani Shah, ex-MLA; Choudhary Bashir Ahmad Naz, ex-MLA; Syed Ali Shah Geelani, ex-MLA; Mohammad Shafi Khan, ex-MLA; Abdul Gani Naseem, ex-MLA; Abdul Wahid Shan, ex-MLA; Ghulam Qadir Bhat (Bedar), ex-MLA; Abdul Aziz Parray, ex-MLA; Ghulam Rasool Bahar, ex-MLA; Abdul Razak Wagay, ex-MLA; Thakur Diwakar Singh, ex-MLA; Rajesh Gupta, ex-MLA; Som Nath, ex-MLA; Prakash Sharma, ex-MLA; Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, ex-MLA; Ghulam Rasool Sofi, ex-MLC; Choudhary Fateh Mohammad, ex-MLC; Abdul Rehman Badana, ex-MLC; Habibullah Bhat, ex-MLC; Thakur Kashmira Singh, ex-MLC; Yashpal Sharma, ex-MLC; Raja Nasir Khan, ex-MLC; Wali Mohammad Bhagwan, ex-MLC; Haji All Mohammad Bhat, ex-MLC; Abdul Aziz Wani, ex-MLC; Chuni Lal Dhiman, ex-MLC; Trilochan Singh Wazir, ex-MLC; Aga Syed Jamal, ex-MLC; Haji Mohammad Sultan, ex-MLC; Gulzar Ahmad Khatana, ex-MLC; Mohammad Aslam, ex-MLC and Mirza Mohammad Yaqoob, ex-MLC.
Meanwhile, Lawmakers across the party lines today paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during obituary references in the ongoing Assembly session, commending his unwavering commitment to peace and reconciliation as a pathway to lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Recalling the former PM’s doctrine aimed at achieving peace, progress, and prosperity in Kashmir, lawmakers highlighted his popular slogan, “Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat,” which signifies humanity, democracy, and the preservation of Kashmiri identity.
They remembered Vajpayee as a statesman who believed in reconciliation and dialogue, emphasizing his remark that “friends can be changed, but not neighbours,” which has become a familiar saying in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather opened the session with reflections on Vajpayee’s vision and leadership. “Vajpayee once said in Karnah that we can change our friends, but not our neighbors. Today, anyone who speaks in this context invokes Vajpayee. We cannot ignore his lasting impression on the nation’s politics,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma lauded Vajpayee as a “remarkable leader and an exceptional orator” who earned the admiration of both allies and opponents. “Whenever he spoke, both ruling and opposing parties would applaud. I am sure all 90 members of this Assembly hold a special place for him in their hearts,” Sharma said, highlighting Vajpayee’s ability to transcend political divides.
Sharma added that Vajpayee transcended religion and caste, securing a place in the hearts of all. “Can he not be an inspiration for us all, encouraging us to adopt some part of his life on our own?” he asked.
Cabinet Minister and MLA from Chhamb, Satish Sharma, said that India needs thinkers like Vajpayee, who consistently advocated for secularism, earning respect across the country and in Kashmir.
MLA Bijbehara, Bashir Ahmad Veeri noted Vajpayee’s inclusive leadership despite ideological differences, saying, “Though we may have disagreed with his party, his ability to unite everyone was commendable.”
CPI(M) leader and MLA from Kulgam MY Tarigami also praised Vajpayee’s commitment to dialogue and co-existence, saying, “Vajpayee believed in building relationships despite walls and borders. Only a true statesman would insist on co-existence amid challenges.” He added that Vajpayee’s belief in harmony and dialogue is still widely respected in Kashmir.
He emphasized the importance of peace on the borders, pointing to Vajpayee’s famous Lahore bus journey as an example of his dedication to peace. “Despite opposition from both within and outside his party, Vajpayee set aside differences and took bold steps for peace,” he said, adding that the country needs leaders who put the nation above politics.
MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania from Udhampur East reflected on Vajpayee’s Lahore bus initiative, expressing disappointment over Pakistan’s actions that undermined the effort. “We need to study these initiatives in full detail to ensure we do not make any mistakes in the future,” he said.
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