Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 4: The Upper House of the State Legislature witnessed noisy scenes as all the PDP members held protest seeking admission of the adjournment motion and discussion on the issue of Afzal Guru while the Chairman (LC), Amrit Malhotra adjourned the House amidst pandemonium, setting aside the Question Hour and allowing discussion on the subject there after.
As the `House of Elders’ commenced normal business with the `Question Hour’ today morning, the PDP members including Sayed Asgar Ali, Mohd Ashraf Mir and Nizamuddin Khatana stood up and waving posters of Afzal Guru, who was hanged for Parliament attack in Delhi and started slogans demanding discussion on Afzal Guru and handing over of his body to the family for performing last rites.
National Panthers Party member Sayed Rafiq Shah also stood up waving a newspaper and seeking adjournment motion on the issue of mysterious death of a Kashmiri student in Hyderabad. He alleged that student was murdered and demanded that Government should give reply on it. He further alleged that some students from Valley were being allegedly harassed after the incident of hanging of Guru.
The Chairman tried to convince the members and asked them to sit down calmly and allow Question Hour proceedings but the PDP and NPP members did not buzz and continued their protest. The noise disrupted the proceedings for about eight minutes.
Congress member Ravinder Sharma then stood up and opposed the move. He said that discussion on the execution of Afzal Guru was not the domain of the State Legislature as the matter lies within the domain of apex court and the Indian Government. So, discussion on the subject can not be allowed. He also pleaded the chair that NPP member was misleading the House on the issue of mysterious death of Kashmiri student in Hyderabad and trying to connect with Guru for ulterior motives. If he has some concrete evidence of hanging or murder, he should place the facts before the House and the Government should respond appropriately.
The NPP and PDP members bounced back on Congress members and amidst noisy scenes and Chairman allowed the discussion with the condition that only one member from each party will speak on the subject for 5 minutes. He clarified that he has received document of motion on Guru from PDP member Asgar Ali and NC member Kahlid Najeeb Suhrawardy and also from Rafiq Shah of NPP on death of Valley student at Hyderabad. Then he adjourned the House for ten minutes.
The discussion on Afzal Guru started at 11.42 am in the Upper House. The PDP member Asgar Ali held Omar Abdullah and his party responsible for its failure to take up the case of Guru with the Union Government for clemency. He said NC was responsible for the present explosive situation in Kashmir. Had the NC led Government taken appropriate measures, the situation would have not gone worst. He pointed out that Guru’s name was at serial number 28 in the list how he was put at the top it should also be explained by the Government. The family was deprived of performing last rites of the body of Afzal Guru which is most unfortunate. The Government should give its reply. When CM was informed well before the execution by Union Home Minister why the family was not taken for meeting Guru for the last time. Why CM was revealing his helplessness? Perhaps he is doing it for getting public sympathy in Kashmir. He sought detailed reply from the Government on the issue.
National Conference member Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy from Doda while participating in the discussion said maintaining peace in the State was the collective responsibility of all. He said every politician and political party becomes patriot when the elections draw nearer. He said when Afzal Guru issue is discussed on TV channel and columnists can write and give their opinions in newspapers and magazines, there was no binding it in discussing it on the floor of the legislature. He said the NC was not in favour of capital punishment and the Chief Minister had also written to the Centre on it. Moreover, State Government has no control over it and it was the domain of supreme court and Union Government. But unfortunately some people were using this issue for political mileage and exploiting the masses. The PDP members then interrupted and then both the sides exchanged some heated words. But with the intervention of the chair, NC members completed his discussion.
Minister for Planning and Development Ajay Sadhotra while responding on behalf of Chief Minister said the situation in Kashmir after this incident in Delhi became worst and it was the wisdom and vision of the NC led Government that it managed to control the things and not allowed it to worsen further. He said the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had taken up the issue with the Union Government to return the body to the family. “We also wanted that family should perform the last rites of Afzal Guru as per their traditions. But the family was not informed well in time before execution by the authorities there which is matter of concern. We did what ever was possible and within State Government’s competence. Moreover, it was the domain of Union Government,” Mr Sadhotra maintained.
Rafiq Shah also spoke on the issue of mysterious death of Valley student in Hyderabad and demanded reply from the Government and security of the students studying outside the State. Despite his repeated pleas, the Government did not respond on the subject.
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