Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: PDP MLA and former Minister Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari today had heated arguments with National Conference members including Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir in the Legislative Assembly.
Taking part in debate on Motion of Thanks to Governor’s Address, Mr Ansari said during first year of the present Government, Shopian incident happened, in second year, 120 civilians were killed, in third year it was Syed Yusuf Shah’s ‘killing’ while in the fourth year, historic Dastigeer shrine was burnt and the Government blamed the incident to short circuit.
“First, the National Conference had sought ‘raishumari’ and then it came down to internal autonomy. Now they, like beggars, are seeking the body of Mohammad Afzal Guru. The Chief Minister shouldn’t be so weak that he had to tell the people that he was helpless’’, the Moulvi said.
NC MLA Kafeel-ur-Rehman pointed out that Mr Ansari was himself part of NC Government from 1996 to 2002 when the party had sought autonomy.
Mr Ansari charged the Government with selective use of funds in Ganderbal, the Chief Minister’s constituency and segments of Abdul Rahim Rather and Ali Mohammad Sagar. He said a particular shrine was not given a penny despite he had projected the case so many times.
Saifullah Mir charged Ansari with indulging in divisive politics by talking about Shia-Sunni. “Ansari wants both to fight. First, he tried it on Guru but failed’’, he said.
Mr Ansari asked Saifullah not to force him to open his mouth. “Don’t teach me’’, he said.
Saifullah countered: “you might have read in ‘Pathshalla but we have read in the University. We can teach you. We know what you have learnt’’. Saifullah was supported by Kafeel-ur-Rehman and Javaid Dar.
“I have not done in Pathshalla what you have done in Kupwara’s Dak Bungalows’’, Ansari retorted.
Saifullah said he too has voice but didn’t want to speak more keeping in view the age of Ansari.
PDP leader and former Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri charged the Law Minister with interrupting members of Opposition every time.
“This is not the way. The Law Minister must learn to behave. The House can’t be run in this way’’, Mr Veeri said.
Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said he had himself visited the dargah for which Ansari had sought funds and directed for implementation of plan in letter and spirit.
“We respect all religions. Ansari shouldn’t give it a twist’’, he added.
Ansari, however, said that he would resign if even 5 paise were found to have been spent on the dargah.
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