Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 26: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah will soon announce an amnesty for youth involved in stone-pelting incidents in the State and cases registered against them will be dropped.
While responding to the discussion on Adjournment Motion moved by the People’s Democratic Party seeking discussion on Government’s failure to grant amnesty to stone pelters, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar told the State Assembly: “The State Government has decided to grant amnesty to the youths involved in such cases (stone pelting) and withdraw the FIRs registered against them.”
The Minister said that Chief Minister would announce the scheme soon so that FIRs are withdrawn. He, however, did not give any more details about the scheme.
Sagar said that the Government was forced to lodge FIRs against the youth who were involved in the stone pelting as situation in 2010 was turbulent.
Sagar highlighted the civilian killings allegedly at the hands of security forces in Kashmir during the tenure of PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as the Union Home Minister. He also accused the PDP of instigating people to protests.
“Stone-pelters arrested in Anantnag district are PDP workers. Your workers are involved in stone pelting. You instigate people. You should be ashamed of how low you have stooped for getting power,” the Minister alleged.
The Minister said that NC has given lot of sacrifices and thousands of its workers were killed for restoring peace and normalcy in the State.
He accused PDP of being creation of agencies for weakening NC and said that his party is creation of the “movement”.
Sagar accused PDP of double speak on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and said that its leader in New Delhi said that Army should be consulted before repealing it.
The Minister accused the PDP of blackmailing the State Government officials following the opposition party’s victory in the Lok Sabha polls. “You are such blackmailers. You blackmailed the officials, telling them that you are coming (to power). Shall I name the officers you called?” the minister charged. This led to an uproar in the House. However, the minister continued with his speech without divulging the names.
Although the discussion was about amnesty for the youths facing cases for their involvement in stone-pelting protests, both ruling National Conference (NC) and PDP used it to score political points ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.
Initiating the discussion, PDP’s Abdul Rehman Veeri said his party had no intention of targeting the Government but the issue was that of the future of the state. “People have spoken loud and clear (in the Lok Sabha polls) about the performance of this Government. If they (NC leaders) had listened to the voice of their conscience, they would have stepped down long back,” he said. He said that his party has already taken lead in 41 Assembly segments in Parliament Elections and declared that PDP will cross 50 mark in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
MLA Aga Ruhullah said that it is the FIRs that were lodged but during PDP rule it were the fake encounters. He accused them of killing the militant commanders in fake encounters. He said that the persons in jail will return home one day. He said that PDP knows that CM is announcing the amnesty and PDP wants to take credit by bring adjournment motion.
MLA M Y Tarigami wanted to know the facts and reasons for detaining large number of youth in different jails. He said Government should review such cases and give amnesty in such cases which have no serious charges against them.
Congress MLA Sharif Niyaz said that there is no harm in giving amnesty to those who are not involved in murder. He said amnesty should be given on humanitarian grounds.
Independent MLA, Engineer Rashid said that CM can’t withdraw FIRs as he has to seek permission from Centre. He accused police of taking money from the stone pelters for their release.
PDP’s Peerzada Mansoor and Nizamudin Bhat also spoke on the occasion and demanded withdrawal of FIRs.
Earlier, in the morning there was uproar in the Assembly and Speaker had to adjourn the house briefly after the Speaker Mubarak Gul disallowed the adjournment motion moved by Opposition PDP seeking discussion on withdrawal of cases against youth involved in stone pelting.
Amid pandemonium, Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni launched a scathing attack on Speaker’s conduct of Assembly proceedings.
As soon as the house assembled, the PDP members rose to their feet and demanded suspension of the question hour and a ruling from the Speaker on their motion.
After 40 minutes of pandemonium and slogan shouting, the Speaker said he has disallowed the motion as it does not pertain to any recent event.
“The motion does not pertain to any recent event. Arrests have taken place during your tenure too. The motion is disallowed,” Gul said. He said, however, a discussion can be held on the issue.
Madni attacked the Speaker’s conduct following which the House was adjourned for 10 minutes as the PDP MLAs came into well of the house and shouted slogans against the Government.
“There is pandemonium in the house for 45 minutes. They have raised an important issue. It is your discretion to allow or reject but you have to give a ruling. They (pointing towards treasury benches) are dictating to you,” Madni charged.
Gul said he was not taking dictation from anyone.
Law Minister Mir Saifullah said Madni should not have spoken the way he did as he was Deputy Speaker of the entire House and not of a particular party. “There is no chair that can silence the voice of my conscience. You can keep it. I don’t need it,” Madni said. MLA Nasir Aslam Wani said that the Speaker should act against Madni for his brining for becoming a party. “If the Speaker fails to take action, we will bring non-confidence motion against him”, Wani said.
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