SRINAGAR: Opposition National Conference and Congress on Thursday demanded resignation of Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Abdul Gani Kohli for his alleged involvement setting up of education institutions in on State land in Jammu province.
As the Question Hour was about to begin in the Lower House in the ongoing Budget Session, the opposition legislators from both NC and Congress rose up from the Benches and trooped into the well of the House, according to a Srinagar based news agency.
They demanded resignation of the minister and accused him of grabbing state land in Sunjwani locality in Jammu province.
Kohli, who is the BJP legislator from Kalakote, is accused of setting up educational, owned and managed by him and his family members, on state land in Sunjwani area.
Led by MLA Leh and their legislative party leader Nawang Rigzin Jora, all the Congress legislator marched into the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the PDP-BJP government. Joining the Congress was NC MLA from Eidgah Mubarak Gul. Other NC MLAs also joined the Congress.
“Minister for barkast karo. RSS sarkaar hai hai,” they shouted.
“The minister should resign,” they said.
They alleged that more than 1900 kanals of land have been encroached in the area by the minister. The Opposition wanted discussion on the issue in the House.
However, CAPD minister Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said that the matter is sub judice. “No issue which is sub judice can be discussed in the House,” he said.
Unconvinced by the reply of the minister, the opposition walked out of the House. And they joined back after five minutes.
As per media reports, Revenue Department has revealed to the High Court in Jammu that all educational institutions- BEd and ETT Colleges, Para-Medical Institute, B N School- owned and managed by Kohli and his family members are existing on the State land in Sunjwan area in Jammu city.
PTI adds, Without naming the minister, Jora, quoting from a newspaper report, said it has been established by the Revenue Department that the minister had grabbed state land. Speaker Kavinder Gupta said the Revenue Department will inquire into the matter, but that failed to pacify the agitated members.
Jora informed the chair that the media report was based on a report of the Revenue Department.
“The report should be called for from District Administration, Jammu and tabled in the House,” he said.