SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today witnessed a walkout by an Independent member Er Sheikh Abdul Rashid on beef issue after speaker Kavinder Gupta continued his speech on obituary references without paying any attention to member who was agitating in the House.
As soon as the House met for the first time in the summer capital after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition formed the government in the state following fractured verdict in 2014 elections, Rashid was on his feet wanted to know what had happened to his Resolution and Bill submitted to amend the Ranbir Panel Code (RPC) which bans the beef in the State.
Despite slogan shouting by Rashid, speaker Mr Gupta took up the obituary references and continued his speech paying tributes to former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former legislators and ministers Ghualm Rasool Kar, Ghulam Mohammad, Abdul Gani Shah Veeri, Khawaja Sonaullah Dar, Janak Raj Gupta, Ghulam Mohammad Misger, Vir Chand Mahasha, Mahtarma Farida Mir and Justice Mian Jalal Uddin, former secretary legislative Assembly.
Though Mr Rashid left his seat but he continued slogan shouting from outside the Well of the House. Stop this drama-bazari, he asked Mr Gupta who was paying tributes for late members who had passed away in between the last Session held at Jammu and this session. You are implementing RSS and Shiv Sena agenda on beef issue in Jammu and Kashmir which is a muslim dominated state of the country. However, he remained outside the Well where Ward and Watch officials were present to prevent him from storming there.
You are trying to treat the people of the Kashmir valley as second class citizens which will not be allowed, he alleged and wanted to know where is his Resolution and Bill on lifting of ban on beef in the state.
You have hanged Afzal Guru but remained silent on others who were senior in the list of convicts, he said. Since this is a muslim majority state allow us to eat beef, he demanded though Mr Gupta continued his speech. Mr Rashid has moved a Resolution and a Bill seeking scrapping of the law which bans beef in the state. However, major portion of what he said was not audible. Later when speaker completed his speech, he called leader of the opposition and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to pay tributes.
But Mr Rashid walked out of the House in protest. Interestingly BJP members remained silent during the agitation on beef by Mr Rashid (UNI)
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