Oppn walks out from J&K Assembly, NC boycott session

Opposition MLAs protesting in the Assembly against GST on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Shakeel
Opposition MLAs protesting in the Assembly against GST on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Shakeel

 

SRINAGAR:  Entire Opposition today walked out from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, while the main opposition National Conference (NC)  boycotted the rest of the special session alleging that the coalition PDP-BJP was hell bent on removing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution guaranteeing special status to the state.

    As the House met again this morning after a day’s break, the members from the Congress, Communist Party of India (M) and other Opposition were on their feet saying something which could not be heard in the Press Gallery.

    Later, the the Opposition members walked out from the House in protest against the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the state.

    However, independent member Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who also remained in the House and spoke for some time also later walked out when the Bill on GST was put to vote.

    The core group of NC had yesterday decided that the NC legislators will boycott the remaining part of the Legislative session as a protest against the Government’s machinations to trample the aspirations of the people by demolishing the state’s special status.

    A four-day special of the legislature was summoned to extend GST in the state after Jammu and Kashmir missed the deadline on July 1 when the tax regime was rolled out in the entire country.

    However, the GST resolution moved by Dr Drabu was adopted by voice vote yesterday amidst opposition.   (AGENCIES)