STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The budget session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, starting tomorrow, is expected to be stormy with the united opposition making it clear they will corner the BJP-PDP government on its move to grant identity cards to the Hindu refugees from West Pakistan settled in the state.
A day ahead of the session, in a series of quick political developments, a joint meeting of National Conference, Congress, CPI (M) and the legislators of other parties was presided over by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence. The crucial dinner meet devised a joint strategy and ensure coordination in both Houses of the State legislature.
The meeting took place soon after the National Conference legislative party met at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan this evening.
Besides Mohammed Yousf Tarigami and Hakim Mohammed Yasin, the meeting was attended by the Pradesh Congress President G A Mir and Vice President Sham Lal Sharma.
The meeting discussed various issues likely to be taken up in the Budget Session.
“Held in a cordial atmosphere, the meeting witnessed unanimity over the issues to be raised during the session. The leaders discussed the ovarall political situation and framed up their priorities in respect of issues to be raised”, said National Conference Spokesperson.
Omar Abdullah appreciated the unanimity and approach to be adopted during the session. He also called for synergized floor management.
The session will begin with Governor N N Vohra’s address to a joint sitting of the legislature and end on February 4. Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu will present the budget on January 9. It will be the third budget of this government.
NC, Congress and CPI (M) are set to corner the state government over the months-long unrest in the Valley, the move to give identity cards to the Hindu refugees settled in the state since partition in 1947, shelling on Pakistan border and terror attacks.
The SARFAESI (Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act) is also likely to be raised during the month-long session.
State Congress Chief Gulam Ahnmed Mir has accused the PBD-BJP government of being “dysfunctional” and said it would be the main issue discussed by his party during the session.
“There is total failure on part of the government for the past six months,” Mir told reporters here.
“Kashmir is on the boil. More than 100 people died in the unrest (after Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani’s death in July),” he said adding that the borders were tense and corruption has increased in the state.
National Conference provincial chief Devender Singh Rana said his party will expose the coalition government’s failures.
And CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami demanded probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into civilian deaths in the Valley during the unrest. He has also sought that the central government initiate a process of structured dialogue with “all stakeholders” to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.
BJP state president Sat Sharma, however, said that the opposition parties were bereft of issues and were trying to make issues out of nothing.
“Our government has made steady progress. Developmental works are apace. Steps have been initiated to implement the agenda of the alliance. And we are ready to counter any kind of opposition propaganda in the assembly,” Sharma said.
