Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 16: Hardly had the uproar over creation of new administrative units settled down, the legislators cutting across their party affiliations today protested in the Assembly seeking sanction of Medical Colleges in their districts forcing Speaker Mubarak Gul to adjourn the House for 20 minutes. He later assured the agitated members that the Assembly would tomorrow adopt a resolution thanking Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad for sanctioning four Medical Colleges in the State and apprising him of the sentiments expressed by the members for creation of more Colleges in their districts.
Earlier the entire Opposition staged a walk-out in the House. While PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti led the party walk-out in the Legislature over use of pellet guns on the protesters in Srinagar in which four persons were injured, the Opposition MLAs of BJP, NPP, JSM and a BJP rebel staged a walk-out in protest against delay in regularization of daily wagers.
Soon after the Question Hour ended, the legislators of various political parties including some from the ruling National Conference were on their feet alleging that genuine and far-flung districts have been ignored in sanctioning of four new Medical Colleges for the State by Mr Azad, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Strong defence of the decision of Mr Azad came from two Congress members including R&B Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani and MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who said the Medical College was given to Doda as it was Central place and would cover all three districts of `Chenab Valley’ while Kathua would cover far flung areas and the National Highway.
Worthwhile to mention that Mr Azad had on Friday announced 58 new Medical Colleges across the country including four in Jammu and Kashmir-Doda and Kathua in Jammu region and Baramulla and Anantnag in Kashmir region. Excelsior had exclusively reported yesterday Mr Azad’s decision to sanction four Medical Colleges and two Cancer Institutes for Jammu and Kashmir.
National Conference MLA from Kalakote Rashpal Singh, and his party colleague Aijaz Jan (MLA Poonch), marched towards middle of the House and even tried to troop into Well of the House demanding Medical College for Rajouri/Poonch. PDP MLA from Darhal (Rajouri) was also near the Well seeking Medical College for Rajouri/Poonch.
PDP MLA from Lolab Abdul Haq Khan after protests from his seat and Middle of the House staged a dharna in the Well seeking Medical College for Kupwara.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir also lend the support to Mr Jan’s demand that House adopts a resolution seeking Medical College for Rajouri/Poonch and other areas saying the similar demand has been pouring in from the members of Kupwara, Kargil, Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur etc. Mr Mir represents Kupwara Assembly segment in the Assembly. Another NC MLA from Vijaypur and former Minister Surjit Singh Slathia demanded sanction of Medical College for Samba.
NPP MLA from Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia seemed highly agitated and repeatedly left his bench to mark near Middle of the House saying Udhampur has been badly discriminated by Mr Azad as it deserved the new Medical College. NPP Legislature Party leader Harshdev Singh also supported his party colleague’s demand for new Medical College at Udhampur.
Harshdev alleged that the Medical Colleges have been sanctioned keeping in view the “vote bank politics”.
NC MLA from Amirakadal and former Minister Nasir Aslam Wani said his party supported the demand for sanction of Medical Colleges for Kupwara and Rajouri and Poonch. He said the House should pass a resolution to this effect.
NC MLAs Rashpal Singh and Aijaz Jan besides PDP MLA Zulfikar Choudhary were near the Well of the House in support of their demand for Medical College to Rajouri and Poonch while Mr Mankotia protested from the front row.
PDP Deputy Legislature Party leader Abdul Rehman Veeri said the demand for sanction of Medical College for Rajouri and Poonch districts was genuine.
Speaker Mubarak Gul repeatedly tried to pacify the members to allow the Assembly to run the business and assured them that he would write to the Union Health Minister apprising him of the members’ concern over demand for more Medical Colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the members including those belonging to the National Conference continued to protest in support of their demand for Medical Colleges in their districts.
PDP MLA Syed Bashir suddenly rushed into the Well of the House demanding Medical College for Pulwama district.
The Speaker adjourned the House at 11.17 am.
As the House resumed at 11.37 am after 20 minutes’ adjournment, Congress MLA from Inderwal and former Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori said the House should adopt a resolution thanking Mr Azad for granting four Medical Colleges and two Cancer Institutes for Jammu and Kashmir. However, he endorsed the demand for Medical Colleges to Rajouri/Poonch and Kupwara.
Mr Mankotia, however, strongly opposed any thanks giving resolution to Mr Azad by the Assembly saying he has discriminated with Udhampur by not announcing the much deserving Medical College there.
Saifullah Mir once again rose up from his seat and said some genuine demands have been pouring in from the members.
“I thank Mr Azad for four Medical Colleges. However, demands have been pouring in from Kupwara, Rajouri/Poonch, Leh and Kargil for Medical Colleges. A joint resolution should be sent to the Centre tomorrow urging Mr Azad to consider demand for more Colleges in the State,” Saifullah said.
R&B Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani described the decision of Mr Azad to give four Medical Colleges to Jammu and Kashmir as `historic’ and said `Chenab Valley’ Medical College in Doda would serve three districts. He hailed Mr Azad and the UPA Government for sanctioning the new Medical Colleges.
NC MLA Aijaz Jan refused to take seat saying first the Union Government shelved Jammu-Poonch railway project and now it has ignored Rajouri/Poonch by denying it the due Medical College. He continued protest from his seat. His party colleague Surjit Singh Slathia was also on the feet saying Samba should be given the Medical College as first an Ayurvedic College, approved for Samba district, was taken away to another area.
Independent MLA from Langet Engineer Rashid demanded Medical College for Langet.
The calm was restored in the House after the Speaker announced that a joint resolution would be sent to the Centre tomorrow conveying gratitude for four more Medical Colleges as well as also apprising them of the members’ concern for more Medical Colleges in their areas.
Earlier, as soon as the House began its sitting for the day, all PDP MLAs and PDF legislator Hakim Mohammad Yasin, former Minister were on their feet protesting use of pellet guns on the protesters in Srinagar yesterday in which four persons were injured.
The PDP legislators led by Mehbooba Mufti claimed that two injured protesters have lost their vision.
Simultaneously, all MLAs of BJP, NPP, JSM and BJP rebel Jagdish Sapolia also started protest in the House demanding regularization of daily wagers.
Speaker Mubarak Gul made it clear to the agitating members of all Opposition parties that he wouldn’t allow the Question Hour to be disrupted and that members can raise their issue after the Question Hour. The Speaker went ahead with the Question Hour though sometimes the voice of MLAs asking questions and Ministers, replying to the queries, was lost in sloganeering by the Opposition MLAs.
Protesting against the use of pellet guns on the protesters, the PDP MLAs displaying papers left their seats and tries to troops into the Well of the House but were surrounded by the Marshals.
The MLAs of BJP, NPP, JSM and Mr Sapolia shouted slogans demanding regularization of the daily wagers. After about 15 minutes of protests, all BJP, NPP and JSM MLAs joined by Mr Sapolia staged a walk-out in the Assembly shouting `Daily Wagers Kay Saath Insaaf Karo, Insaaf Karo (do justice with daily wager)’. However, NPP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia didn’t walk-out as his question was being discussed in the House.
The PDP MLAs continued their protests and shouted slogans “Pellet Gun Sarkaar, Hai Hai”, `Jan Virodhi Sarkaar, Hai Hai’ and `Gungi Bahri Sarkaar, Hai Hai’.
Ms Mufti, Mr Veeri and their party MLA Mushtaq Shah, who was injured on second day of the House during protests on administrative units, protested from their seats while other PDP MLAs tried to troop into the Well shouting slogans. However, the Marshals surrounded the PDP legislators.
After 24 minutes of protest, all PDP MLAs led by Ms Mufti staged a walk-out in the House.
“Two youth — Tariq Ahmed and Ghulam Mohidin — were injured after pellet guns were used on protestors in Shopian belt of south Kashmir during protests. They have suffered severe injuries in their eyes and doctors have to refer them to Amritsar for treatment,” Mehbooba Mufti told reporters later.
Accusing Omar Abdullah Government of being anti-youth in last five-and-half years period, she said, 120 youth have been killed in the firings during 2010 unrest in Kashmir valley. “Scores of youth have been injured due to use of pellet guns and chilly grenades during his period.”
She demanded a ban on use of pellet guns and chilly grenades in Kashmir valley saying it was harmful for the people. She also demanded compensation for the injured youth for their medical bills and treatment.
Later, speaking to the media, JKNPP member Harshdev Singh said that Government has failed to regularise the daily wagers and casual workers who have been working with various departments for several years.
“It is shameful on the part of the Government that some of these daily wagers had climbed over towers in the State Power Department to press for their demands of regularisation,” he said, adding Government should immediately come out with a policy on the issue.
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