*Terror incidents down by 23 per cent: Vohra
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 10: Governor NN Vohra today had to leave his Address to joint session of Legislature within minutes after he started reading it following massive protests by the Opposition members including PDP, BJP, JSM and an Independent on different issues.
This was for the second time that Mr Vohra had to leave the Central Hall of Legislature without fully reading his Address due to protests by the Opposition.
The PDP MLAs were shouting and protesting demanding immediate arrest of former Health Minister and Congress MLA from Rajouri Shabir Ahmad Khan, discrimination with various areas of the State in creation of administrative units, re-opening of Pathribal encounter case, power crisis in Kashmir Valley etc while the BJP and JSM members were protesting discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh regions, denial of rights to SCs, STs and OBCs, shortage of power, water, ration and addressing the issues of refugees and Kashmir migrants.
The BJP and JSM MLAs accompanied by BJP rebel Jagdish Sapolia staged a walk-out shouting slogans while PDP legislators and Engineer Rashid continued to agitate in favour of their demands. The NPP legislators abstained from the Governor Address and instead staged a protest outside seeking dismissal of the coalition Government for its “failure on all fronts”.
Newly floated Awami Mutahida Mahaz MLAs-Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami and Hakim Mohammad Yasin, former Minister-however didn’t disrupt the Address but held a protest outside demanding the Pathribal encounter case, closed recently by the Army, should be reverted to judiciary for speedy trial.
As soon as Mr Vohra accompanied by Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra and Speaker Mubarak Gul reached the Central Hall of Legislature at the stroke of 10.30 am, all legislators of PDP, BJP and JSM and Independent legislator Engineer Rashid were on their feet shouting in support of their demands.
The Governor maintained silence for about four minutes hoping the protesters to take their seats to facilitate his smooth Address to both Houses of the Legislature, which incidentally was his last Address to present ruling dispensation as Jammu and Kashmir was scheduled to have Assembly elections later this year.
His first Address to present coalition Government in 2009 had also met the same fate as he had to leave the Central Hall of Legislature within five to seven minutes following protests by the PDP legislators.
After about four minutes, Mr Vohra started reading his Address despite shouting by the legislators of PDP, BJP, JSM and Engineer Rashid.
As Mr Vohra was reading the Address, most of the time his voice was lost in the din created by the protesting legislators. PDP MLA Basharat Bukhari left his seat and moved ahead of the front row demanding immediate arrest of Shabir Khan.
“Women are not safe in this Government. Where has the former Minister gone? What steps the Government has taken to arrest him”? he asked amidst shouting from all PDP members. Engineer Rashid was also loud in his speech but his voice was not heard in the din.
BJP MLA from Reasi Baldev Sharma, who had recently been taken back into the party along with four other MLAs, passed serious remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand while other BJP MLAs continued protest against discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh regions, addressing the issues of refugees and Kashmiri Pandits and solving the problems of SCs, STs and OBCs etc. JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma also raised the similar issues.
At 10.40 am i.e. within six minutes of the Governor’s Address, all BJP MLAs led by their Legislature Party leader Ashok Khajuria and State president Jugal Kishore walked-out of the Central Hall of Legislature shouting slogans in favour of their demands. JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma also walked-out in protest. Suspended BJP MLA from Basohli, Jagdish Sapolia, who had not been taken back by the BJP, also walked-out along with the BJP and JSM legislators.
As the protests by the PDP legislators reached at its peak, the Governor stopped reading the Address at 10.41 am and was seen inter-acting with Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra and Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul. He resumed his Address but only to read last paragraph and then left the Central Hall of Legislature at 10.42 am.
The legislators including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his Council of Ministers and all other legislators left the Hall.
There was no reaction from coalition legislators to the Opposition protests.
It could have taken at least 70 minutes to the Governor to read 72 paragraphs of 56 pages Governor Address.
Later, Speaker Mubarak Gul laid copy of the Governor’s Address on table of the House.
Noting that over 50 security personnel lost their lives in terror-related incidents last year as against 15 such casualties in 2012, Mr Vohra said voiced concern that there was “likelihood” of attempts being made to disrupt the two elections due this year. While Lok Sabha elections were due in April-May, the State would have Assembly elections in November-December.
He said that there were 244 ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) last year.
However, the Governor said that terrorist related incidents declined by around 23 per cent during 2013 over the previous year.
“It is a matter of concern that as many as 53 security forces personnel were killed in 2013 against 15 such casualties in 2012,” Mr Vohra said.
He added that taking a serious view of such attacks all possible corrective measures are being put in place.
While paying homage to all the officers and men who laid down their lives for protecting the territorial integrity of the country, he said: “we shall need to keep in mind the increasing desperation of the militants and their sponsors from across and the likelihood that every possible attempt would be made to disrupt the two elections which shall be conducted this year”.
“Our security forces shall have to continue their strict vigil along the borders,” he said.
Elaborating further on the situation, the Governor said: “over the past few years, there has been a decline in incidents of terrorist violence and a perceptible improvement in the internal security environment.
“During 2013, terrorist related incidents declined by around 23 per cent over the previous year”.
On ceasefire violations, he said: “there were 244 ceasefire violations on the LoC and the International Border, which marked a large increase over the past year”.
The State police is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining law and order and undertaking counter insurgency operations and it is hoped that in the coming time it shall be in a position to deal with most internal security challenges on its own, Mr Vohra said.
“The security forces have been highly sensitised to ensure against causing any collateral damages or violation of human rights while carrying out counter militancy operations.
“New Standard Operating Procedures have been adopted and enforced as the operational guidelines for security forces to minimise the collateral damages during counter insurgency operations,” he said.
Mr Vohra said that the Government is committed to the policy of zero tolerance of any human rights violation and to take deterrent action against erring personnel.
“Necessary amendments were brought about in the JK Criminal Procedure Code last year to enable the State Government to notify the ‘Victim Compensation Scheme’ which aims at providing financial help for the treatment, care and rehabilitation of the victims of crime,” the Governor said.
Regarding reduction in foot-prints of security forces in Kashmir, he said: “the improvement in the security environment has enabled the Government to gradually reduce the visibility of the security forces and to reduce their foot print in the inhabited areas by relocating and redeploying them.
“As a result of this approach, nearly 1,560 buildings – including schools, hospitals, hotels, industrial units, private buildings and cinema halls – occupied by the security forces have been got vacated and restored for their original use,” he said.
“Efforts are underway to have the remaining buildings also vacated at the earliest. It is also relevant to mention that 54 bunkers have been removed from public places in Srinagar city,” Mr Vohra said.
He said that due to progressive improvement in the overall security environment, over one million tourists per annum visited the state during 2012 and 2013.
“Side by side, the pilgrimage to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine has also been gaining strength, having passed the ten million mark in 2012 and almost touched this mark last year,” he added.
Due to the sustained efforts of the State Government and Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, there has been a significant improvement in the facilities provided to the pilgrims and this has resulted in sharply reducing the number of casualties in the 2013 Yatra, Mr Vohra added.
“My government has recently completed five years in office. During this period, the Government has pursued people’s welfare centric policies with dedication, commitment and a sense of urgency,” he said, adding that the people of the State have also made a valuable contribution towards the restoration of peace and normalcy, which are crucial pre-requisites for securing growth and economic development.
He said that the inclusive and equitable development of all regions of the State has been at the core of the Government’s policy objectives.
Keeping in view the legitimate aspirations of the people of different regions, the Government has decided to establish a comprehensive network of new administrative units which will bring administration closer to the people, he said.
Accordingly, 46 new sub-divisions, 135 tehsils, 177 community development blocks and 301 niabats have been created and will be operationalised soon, he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after her party’s protests during Governor Address, PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti said: “we will continue to demand immediate arrest of Shabir Khan who has been accused of molesting a lady doctor.”
“We are apprehensive he may use top officers to try to pressurise and influence witnesses and destroy evidence,” she said.
Ms Mufti accused the Government of shielding Khan and also raised questions about the “disappearance” of the Minister, who is a protected person.
“Shabir Khan is a protected person. How has he disappeared?” Ms Mufti asked.
Mufti said that the last budget session of the NC regime is marked with the incident of molestation.
Ruling National Conference member and party’s additional general secretary Dr Mustafa Kamaal, however, condemned the Opposition’s behaviour.
“Their behaviour is uncalled for. They have shown utter disrespect to the Constitution,” Dr Kamaal said.
“There have been protests in the past in the Assembly but this type of behaviour has never been seen,” said Dr Kamaal.
With regard to Pathribal case, he said, even NC president Farooq Abdullah had advocated reopening of the case.
Earlier before the arrival of the Governor, BJP members, carrying placards depicting “failure” of the State Government on several fronts, sat at the entrance of the Legislature complex. They were shouting slogans demanding immediate end to discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh regions, delimitation of Assembly constituencies, addressing issues of refugees and Kashmiri migrants and solving the problems faced by the SCs, STs and OBCs.
BJP State president Jugal Kishore said “the Government has lost faith of the people and should be dismissed.”
The NPP legislators including Harshdev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Yashpal Kundal and Mohammad Rafiq Shah also staged a dharna outside the Central Hall of Legislature. They boycotted the Governor Address.
Demanding dismissal of the Government, Harshdev Singh said there was no name of governance and performance in the State. “The Government has failed on all fronts and should be dismissed immediately. The Government has failed to fulfill the commitments made in the manifestoes. There has been no accountability. Imbalance has been created with new administrative units. The issues of refugees have not been addressed,” he lamented.
Demanding reopening of the Pathribal fake encounter case, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and Hakeem Yasin of the Awami Mutahida Mahaz also staged a sit-in carrying placard outside the Legislature Hall.
“We condemn the closure of Pathribal case. We demand its immediate reopening,” Mr Tarigami said.
PDP’s MLA Syed Bashir, who sat on dharna in front of the complex, alleged his Assembly segment in Pulwama district was discriminated against in the grant of administrative units.
“I will continue to protest throughout the session till I get justice,” Mr Bashir said.
Independent MLA from Langet Engineer Rasheed demanded reopening of the Pathribal case and arrest of the former Minister Shabir Khan immediately.
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