Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 25: National Conference MLA Javed Rana’s alleged remarks describing Kavinder Gupta as `Hindu Speaker’ and `BJP Speaker’ today triggered massive protests in the Legislative Assembly twice leading to disruption of Question Hour for 20 minutes and then blocking reply of Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu on the demands of his Ministry for about 15 minutes.
All BJP MLAs trooped near the Well of the House as soon as the House began day’s proceedings demanding stern action against Javed Rana for his “derogatory remarks” against the Chair yesterday when the NC MLAs had staged walk-out from the Assembly before reply of Drabu on the budget in protest against denial of time to speak.
Some of the PDP MLAs also supported the BJP members in their protest.
There was massive uproar in the House with agitated BJP MLAs shouting and demanding action against Javed Rana, who was not present in the House. They charged the NC MLA with trying to divide the Assembly on the basis of religion by describing Gupta as the `Hindu Speaker’ and the ‘BJP Speaker’, thus, bringing disrepute to the Chair. They demanded that Rana should be expelled from the House.
Taking serious note of the remarks, the Speaker briefed the House that he had allotted 145 minutes to the PDP for debate on the budget but they consumed 79 minutes only. Similarly, the BJP was given 130 minutes but they took 83 minutes only. However, the NC was allotted 75 minutes but they consumed 140 minutes while the Congress members spoke for 141 minutes as against 60 minutes allocated to their MLAs. The time is allotted on the basis of strength of the parties.
“Despite consuming nearly double the time allocation, the NC MLA has passed derogatory remarks and abused the Chair,” Gupta said.
Amidst protests, the Speaker allowed BJP MLA Sat Sharma CA to speak. Sharma said what the 58 new members will learn from senior members like Javed Rana, who was dividing the House on the name of Hindus and Muslims.
“It’s a deliberate attempt to lower dignity of the Chair, which can’t be tolerated at any cost. Javed Rana should be immediately expelled from the House,” Sharma said.
Veteran CPM leader and fourth time MLA Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami too described Javed Rana’s remarks on the Speaker as “unjustified” and demanded that they should be expunged.
“You are Speaker of this entire House. You do not belong to any party or community. Such comments will defame the entire House. In the heat of arguments, there should be no such talks,” Tarigami said addressing the Chair.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Nawang Rigzin Jora said the Speaker has been giving time to all the MLAs and the member should regret his remarks.
NC MLA and former Minister Nazir Ahmad Gurezi said the Speaker is custodian of the House and if anyone points finger at him, that’s wrong.
“The Speaker didn’t belong to any party or religion. He has to take care of the opposition, which had to highlight the issues. The remarks should be expunged,” Gurezi said.
The Speaker said all members in the House should work like good colleagues.
However, the BJP and PDP members continued their protest in the House disrupting the Question Hour and demanding action against the NC MLA, who didn’t turn up in the House till the protests went on.
The NC MLAs including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was present in the House, didn’t react to the protests except for Nazir Gurezi, who regretted the remarks.
Intervening during protests, Health and Medical Education Minister Choudhary Lal Singh said that all parties have their chief whips in the House, who should decide names of the MLAs to speak in the House and their timing.
“Hindu Inko Chub Rahey Hain Kaya (are they unable to digest the Hindus)?”, he asked and regretted that a senior NC MLAs tore the budget in the House yesterday.
The Speaker said he has now prepared format, which has to be filled by the chief whips with names of the MLAs and timing allotted to them during debate.
After over 20 minutes of protests by BJP and PDP MLAs, the Question Hour resumed in the House with NC MLA Nazir Gurezi regretting the remarks and CLP leader Rigzin Jora and CPM MLA MY Tarigami also supporting the Speaker.
However, again around 12.45 pm when the Speaker called Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu to start reply to debate on the grants of Finance and Planning Departments, Javed Rana was on his feet saying he was not given time to speak.
The Speaker said Javed Rana was wasting time of the House and asked him to take his seat but he continued shouting again leading to ruckus in the House as PDP and BJP members countered him leading to heated exchanges.
“I have been cooperating with all the members and the parties. But he is creating `tamasha’. He even abused me yesterday. I will not allow all this to go on,” the Speaker declared as some of the NC MLAs stood on their seats in support of Javed Rana.
Intervening, Haj and Auqaf Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said the Government was not afraid of raising hands of Rana.
“Rana has spoken for 20 minutes. He should now maintain decorum. It’s not free for all in the House. It’s very unfortunate that yesterday also, the NC members spoke and walked out. I’m very sorry to say that the NC MLAs were finding an escape route for walk-out,” Veeri said.
Ali Mohammad Sagar charged the treasury benches with trying to “muzzle and suppress” the voice of opposition and said his party wouldn’t allow all this to go on.
Veeri said the Speaker has been very accommodating. “When we were in opposition, we were not allowed to speak beyond five minutes. The Speaker has been giving enough time to all members especially the opposition. They must appreciate this fact,” he added.
Javed Rana against started shouting slogans like `RSS Ka Agenda Naheen Chalega (the RSS agenda won’t run)’.
The Speaker warned Rana that he has been crossing limits and called upon Devender Singh Rana to make him sit as he was provincial president of the party.
Javed Rana took seat after about 20 minutes of protests.
Speaking to media later, Javed Rana said he alleged in the House that Speaker is “biased as he carries forward the agenda of Hindutva. We will not allow the House to be run on the agenda of RSS and Nagpur.”
Refusing to apologise, he said, “Why should I tender apology when I have said nothing wrong? According to my opinion, the Speaker is trying to muzzle the voice of the opposition.”
He claimed that he had “not said a ‘Hindu Speaker’ but a ‘Speaker working on Hindutva ideology’.. We will not allow that ideology from Nagpur and Delhi to be dictated here. He gives more time to BJP and less to us.”
Education Minister Naeem Akhtar condemned the use of unparliamentary words used by the NC member against the Speaker and said “He should apologise and party should take action against him”.
Questioning Rana for raking up a ‘Hindu Speaker’ issue, he said, “We are living in a secular country and the Speaker is above these things. It is unfortunate.”
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Nawang Rizgin Jora said “it should have not happened. But once the senior member of NC has spoken on it there is no need to blow it up.”
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