Speaker acted as agent of NC: Sharma
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Nov 6: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Sunil Sharma, today termed the resolution of the Omar-led Government passed by the Assembly as “illegal,” noting that the Speaker acted as an “agent” of a political party.
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Addressing a press conference after the Assembly was adjourned till tomorrow-following a massive protest by the BJP against the resolution, which sought restoration of Constitutional guarantees for J&K-Sharma said the resolution was not part of the scheduled business and was brought in out of “nowhere.”
“It (the resolution) has no Constitutional validity, no Constitutional sanctity. It was not part of the business. The content of the resolution also showcases the mentality of the newly elected Government,” he said.
The LoP added that in the day’s business, there was only a vote of thanks to the LG’s address, and all members had come prepared for that. “The members were prepared to raise various issues promised in the manifesto; instead, the Government brought a resolution,” he said.
The BJP leader said that the resolution “indicated” toward Article 370, which, he said, was abrogated by Parliament and whose decision was also upheld by the Supreme Court (SC).
“The Constitutional bench of the SC also rejected the plea and upheld the decision of Parliament. The SC has settled it already; what power does the Assembly have to bring in such a resolution?”
He stated that as the opposition, the BJP would not accept any such resolution and would not accept even a single word of it. “What has been done is a drama, and the Speaker, who is supposed to be unbiased, has acted as a party agent and has dishonoured his position.”
When asked if they would allow the House to function for the remaining two days, he said, “The resolution is illegal, and until it is cancelled, we will oppose it and won’t let the House run; once that happens, we will sit back and debate.”
Sharma said that if the Government is seeking Statehood under the guise of “guarantees,” then Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Home Minister have already promised it. “If they are adopting that line, we welcome it; but they are in a state of confusion because there is a race between NC, PDP, PC and independents.”
He mentioned that one of the PDP members also brought a resolution about it on the first day, “but everyone knows nothing will happen in the Assembly; they just like violence and want the poor to be killed in the name of Article 370.”
Earlier, while speaking with media persons in the Assembly complex, Sharma alleged that the Speaker had himself drafted this resolution in consultation with the Government and called it “a shame” for Congress to have supported the resolution.
Regarding Congress, the LoP said that the party must clarify its stance on whether it supports the resolution. If it does, he added, then the people of the country will hold them accountable.
“Their members raised their hands in support of the resolution; does the party leadership endorse it, or are they against it? If they do not support it, then without their six members, the resolution is in the minority, and so is this Government.”
The BJP leader said that they have promised a corruption-free and developed J&K, but the NC, he said, does not want development and does not want corruption to end.
“They just want a slogan. Since autonomy and plebiscite are gone, their slogan now is that they will bring back Article 370.”
He said that the BJP would like to have a debate in the House on the human rights violations committed by the NC. “Whenever they were in power, they killed Kashmiris. They have resorted to human rights violations.”
“After August 5, 2019, we will not allow civilian killings to happen; we will ensure that terrorists are killed, but the common people are our brothers. You (NC) have killed Kashmiris under the guise of fighting terrorists,” Sharma added.
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