JAMMU, Mar 11: The Legislative Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes over the use of “objectionable words” by the ruling National Conference and opposition BJP legislators, which were later expunged from the record by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
Referring to BJP legislator from the Chenani Assembly segment, Balwant Singh Mankotia’s budget speech, wherein he had claimed that it happened for the first time in the history of jammu and Kashmir that Maharaja Hari Singh and his Dogra rule were being praised in the UT Assembly, NC legislator from the Zainapora Assembly Constituency, Showkat Hussain Ganie, claimed that legislators like Sham Lal Sharma, Surjeet Singh Slathia, and Balwant Singh Mankotia, who recently entered into the BJP fold, were issuing such statements to prove their loyalty to the party.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Ganie said that the party’s legislators must understand that they are not carrying forward the legacy of Maharaja Hari Singh by removing certain provisions brought in by the former princely ruler.He (Ganie) even claimed that CM Omar Abdullah had been carrying forward the legacy of Maharaja Hari Singh more than the BJP leaders.
On this, Sham Lal Sharma said that this was evident from repeated attacks on Maharaja Hari Singh by NC leaders even in the current Assembly.
On this, several NC as well as other Valley-based politicians, including CPI(M) legislator M Y Tarigami and Congress’ Nizzamuddin Bhat, stood from their chairs and started cornering the BJP legislators.
AIP legislator Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad even tried to enter the well to raise his protest against the BJP legislators but was stopped from doing so.
CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami said that when Legislative Assembly discusses important issues, a person of the stature of Leader of Opposition should not use objectionable words.
In the midst of this exchange of heated arguments, both NC and BJP legislators exchanged some “objectionable words,” with BJP MLAs raising pro-Maharaja slogans like “Maharaja Hari Singh Ji Amar Rahe’n.”
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma even warned the NC and other Valley-based politicians to desist from making remarks against the erstwhile ruler, claiming, “We won’t allow anyone disrespect Maharaja Hari Singh.”
As the exchange of words between the legislators continued, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather stood from his chair and expunged all the “objectionable” and “unparliamentary words” used by either party’s legislators.
