Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 8: Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rasheed was marshaled out after he repeatedly disrupted the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly over the arrest of local Muslim leader in Jammu.
As the House assembled this morning, Rasheed sought a statement from the Government on why Syed Shabir Ahmad Shah, a local Muslim leader of Jammu, has been arrested and booked under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Speaker, Kavinder Gupta, ignored the independent MLA’s plea and directed for conducting the Question Hour. However, as Rasheed continued to press for statement, several BJP MLAs including a minister tried to shout him down.
“Why is the Government afraid of making a statement? What has Syed Shabir Ahmad Shah been booked under PSA? Was his crime to hold Fateha Khawani for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (after his death)? Why are the Samba killers and those of Ishtiyaq Chowdhary and Zahid not booked under PSA?” Rasheed shouted in the House.
The Speaker warned Rasheed to take his seat or “I will have no option but to have you marshaled out”.
The Independent MLA was supported by the opposition benches as National Conference and Congress members joined the chorus for a statement from the Government on the issue.
CPI (M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami while supporting the demand for a statement, asked the fellow members from all parties not to communalise the situation in and outside the House.
Rural Development Minister Abdul Haq Khan tried to respond to some queries of the opposition but Rasheed interrupted him saying “stop this nonsense! come up with a statement on the PSA on Shah”.
At this point, the Speaker ordered the Assembly staff to marshal Rasheed out of the house. The watch and ward staff of the house bolted the doors from inside to prevent the MLA from returning to the proceedings.
Hakeem Yaseen who tried to defend Rashid was asked by the Speaker to sit down. “Why are you supporting him when he used un-parliamentary language against the Minister”, he said.
Several opposition MLAs, while calling for maintaining decorum of the House, said the Speaker cannot stop the members from raising the issues concerning the people of the State.
However, Tarigami requested the Speaker that Rashid should be allowed in and later he was allowed in and attended the House.
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