Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 19: Opposition MLAs today created ruckus in the Legislative Assembly over what they alleged non-serious approach maintained by the PDP-BJP Coalition Government towards some vital issues, which otherwise require priority attention, and staged walkouts.
As soon as the proceedings of the Lower House started this morning, National Conference MLA Mian Altaf raised the issue of strike by Small Scale Units repairing damaged transformers of Power Development Department.
“A peculiar situation is prevailing in the entire State as on one side the Power Development Department doesn’t have adequate number of transformers to replace the damaged ones and on the other side the private units have refused to repair the transformers due to failure of the Government to clear this liabilities worth crores of rupees”, he said.
Mian Altaf was supported by CPM MLA, Mohd Yousaf Tarigami and several Legislators of Congress party, who together wanted to know the steps being taken by the Government to overcome the crisis.
As neither there was any response from the Government nor intervention of Speaker, Mian Altaf left his seat and staged walkout by dubbing Government as ‘non-serious’.
Congress MLA from Banihal, Vikar Rasool raised the issue of damages caused by recent snowfall and rains in erstwhile Doda district and particularly Mohumangat area of his constituency. He sought prompt action from the Government on the ground that in some areas people are required to be evacuated due to threat of avalanche and sliding of rocks.
As Speaker continued to conduct the proceedings of Question Hour, Congress MLA left his seat in protest and accused the chair of not giving time to the Opposition to raise the issues of public importance. “This is injustice…. you are the custodian of this House and no proceeding can be more important than the public issues”, he remarked before staging walkout.
The issue of damages due to snowfall and rains again figured in the House after Question Hour with several Congress and National Conference MLAs demanding prompt action from the Government.
“In some badly affected areas administration has not reached yet despite the fact that people are in dire need of help”, Congress MLA from Inderwal, G M Saroori said. Former Speaker and National Conference MLA, Mubarak Gul, while raising the plight of stranded passengers, sought to know from the Government the status of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
“Airlines are charging exorbitant rates on Jammu-Srinagar route by taking advantage of bad condition of highway. They are looting the people but this Government is acting as mute spectator”, he said and stressed that Government should apprise the House of the latest condition of the highway connecting twin capital cities.
Congress Legislator from Kargil, Asgar Ali Karblaie said that thousands of residents of Kargil district including large number of students are stranded at Jammu and Srinagar due to closure of highway and they may not be able to appear in exams in case Government does not come forward for their help immediately.
Ruckus continued to prevail in the House as several National Conference MLAs—Devender Singh Rana, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi and Ashfaq Jabbar left their seats in protest against failure of the Government to listen the grievances of teachers, who were engaged on academic arrangement basis and are on strike during the past several days seeking continuation of their services.
“Nobody from the Government has come forward to listen the agitating teachers”, Mr Rana said while seeking intervention of the Speaker on this issue. Following no response from the Chair, these NC MLAs supported by CPM MLA, Mohd Yousaf Tarigami moved towards the front row and remarked, “this is grave injustice…..Discussion on Governor’s Address is not more important that this issue….This is not the issue of future of teachers but also of students”.
After agitating over this issue for some time, these MLAs staged walkout.
Independent MLA from Langate, Engineer Rashid also staged walkout in protest against statement of BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy.
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