Mocking at the BJP leaders and ministers, Congress Legislative Party leader Nawang Rigzin Jora on Monday wanted to know what happened to their campaign against Do Vidhan, Do Pradhan, Do Nishaan (two constitutions, two heads and two flags). Continuing with his offensive strategy against the PDP’s alliance partner, Jora asked the BJP leaders to fulfil their own promise of granting citizenship rights to West Pakistan Refugees and abrogating Article 370 Facing a precarious situation after joining hands with the National Conference to strengthen the opposition unity, Jora tried to divert the attention of those questioning the silence of the Congress party on issues impacting the people of Jammu region. Instead of spelling out his party’s stand on some of the contentious issues, Jora repeatedly told reporters outside the State Assembly, “What happened to the same BJP which staged demonstrations and befooled people of Jammu region by raising emotional slogans on Do Nishan, Do Vidhan, Do Pradhan. Why is BJP silent now and playing second fiddle to Mehbooba Mufti”, he questioned.
Won’t tolerate Marshal law: Rana
Fire-brand National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana on Monday accused the PDP-BJP government of muzzling the voice of opposition inside the Legislative Assembly. “We will not tolerate the Marshal law”, Rana said, adding that the way the alliance government has crushed peoples’ voice in Kashmir valley they are trying to replicate the same model inside the Assembly. He said the coalition government was running away from the House and provoking the legislators, belonging to opposition parties during the Governors’ address to the joint session of the State Legislature. Rana said, “We will not tolerate the machinations of the alliance government which is desperately trying to muzzle voice of opposition in the House”.He said the job of the opposition is to raise the peoples’ voice and if any attempt was made by the ruling dispensation to crush their voice they will speak loudly to ensure their voices are heard. Commenting on the charge that opposition legislators showed disrespect to the National Anthem, Rana told reporters outside the State Assembly that the responsibility of running the House smoothly lies on the ruling dispensation.
He clarified none of the NC members showed disrespect to the National Anthem. “We were standing in attention and chanting the anthem in decorum inside the central hall”. He said even one of the PDP legislator tried to provoke our members but none of the NC legislator was provoked. He made it clear that if the ruling dispensation would not mend its ways the opposition legislators would continue to raise their voice against them.
Rashid demands ‘plebiscite’
Independent MLA Engineer Rashid held a sit-in protest outside the Legislative Assembly demanding plebiscite in both sides of Line of Control (LoC). Rasheed sat outside the Assembly and held a banner with a message, “Hold Plebiscite on both sides of LoC”.
‘Marshal Law in Central Hall?’
Soon after senior opposition members entered the Central Hall of the State Legislature on Monday, they raised their voice against the unusual presence of large number of Marshals. One of the senior members, Mohd Yusuf Tarigami even vent his ire against the alliance government by shouting, “You better convert it (hall) into a jail”.Senior legislators belonging to Congress and National Conference condemned the move and shouted slogans in protest. Interacting with media outside the State Assembly Complex Tarigami said it is for the first time they have seen unprecedented presence of Marshals in the Central Hall. He said the alliance government was nervous and wanted to crush the voice of opposition members by scaring them away.
Cong MLC unhappy with red carpet
As Congress MLC Rani Gargi Billoria on Monday was climbing the steps of the State Assembly Complex, she was not feeling comfortable because of the disoriented red carpet. Facing difficulty, she stood for a while and pointed the status of red carpet to the concerned security personnel who were struggling to keep the media persons away from the red carpet. After her intervention, some caretakers stepped in and tried to clear the folds which were bothering the legislators
Climbing desks, creating ruckus
On day one of the Budget Session , Governor N N Vohra was greeted by the members with placards, carrying slogans revoke PSA, stop killings in Kashmir, where is political dialogue. NC Member Kamal Arora along with Congress MLC Ghulam Nabi Monga climbed the desks to stage protest. They were also backed by Asgar Karbalai and Congress legislators Jugal Kishore Sharma and Nawang Rigzin Jora. Independent MLA from Langate Engineer Rashid also shouted the slogans and called the Governor as an outsider and not a part of Jammu and Kashmir. “You are not our Governor, you are an outsider,” shouted the MLA. Meanwhile, speaking to media later, CAPD Minister Zulfikar Ali termed the gesture of opposition as unfortunate. He said that it appeared that the opposition wanted to assault the Governor and called it unparliamentarily. Minister for Road and Buildings Abdul Rehman Veeri rued opposition
for disrupting National Anthem and said, “When we were in opposition, we also used to protest, demonstrate but never disrupted the National Anthem. It is disrespect.”
A month-long Assembly session which began here on Monday amid hullabaloo will have 12 holidays. As per calendar of sitting issued for the fourth session of the 12th Legislative Assembly, the 12 holidays will have three national holidays. The holidays will be from January 4 to January 8, January 13 (Lohri), January 15, 22 and 25, January 26 (Republic Day), January 29 and February 5.