BJP dissidents launch ‘JKDF’ with high drama in Assembly

Contempt action initiated against 3 actors, MLA Sapolia

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 8: Speaker of Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone, has initiated proceedings of Contempt to House against BJP’s MLA from Basohli, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, and three youth from Jammu who created high drama by shouting slogans, waving a flag and jumping onto the floor during Question Hour today. All the three actors of the unprecedented scene were captured and dragged out by marshals before they were put in Police custody and detained at Police Station Shaheed Gunj till October 10^th ---last day of the current autumn session.

While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Ministers of his Cabinet were listening to the opposition PDP MLAs and Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone was conducting proceedings of Question Hour, three youth in a public gallery got up and began shouting slogans. As they called for implementation of an ‘Employment Policy’, one of them displayed a banner. On red and green base, it read ‘JKDF’. They had occupied seats in a gallery that is reserved partly for guests of the legislators and partly for television camera crews.

Holding a vantage position in the gallery overlooking the floor, all the three youths jumped down onto the floor and attempted to force their entry into the well. However, the watch and ward staff overpowered them and dragged them out of the hall while striking on them kicks, fists and slaps. On the orders of Speaker, they were immediately handed over to SP Security, Civil Secretariat, Maqsood-uz-Zamaan who got them confined in a room in the Legislature Complex.

Speaker pronounced that their act was an open contempt to the House and could not be condoned in any circumstances as the sanctity of the House was paramount. He directed the marshals and Assembly Secretariat on microphone that the detained youth be got identified along with the member (MLA) on whose recommendation entry passes had been issued to them. He announced that he would declare the member’s name and initiate contempt proceedings against not only the three actors but also the “abettor” MLA.

After some time, Speaker asserted that today’s incident inside the Assembly was a brazen contempt to the House. He said that BJP’s MLA from Basohli, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, had been identified as the MLA who had helped the trio get entry into the complex and passes issued to them. According to his ruling, that was unanimously endorsed by all members, with an aborted intervention of Mr Sapolia, the alleged contemnors would remain in custody and the House would take a decision in the matter in a couple of days.

Mr Sapolia and six other MLAs have been expelled by their party, BJP, on account of their alleged violation of whip during elections for some seats of Legislative Council last year. They are facing charge of having voted for the candidates of the ruling National Conference and Congress. Speaker had taken cognizance of BJP’s official petition seeking disqualification of the seven MLAs under the state’s anti-defection law but the proceedings have been stalled as the respondent legislators have taken the matter to J&K High Court. Mr Sapolia has been Congress party’s leader and MLA for years before successfully contesting 2008 Assembly elections from Basohli on BJP’s ticket.

Speaker displayed the seized banner to the House as well as scores of the hungry television cameras. He said that the accused MLA and his associates have launched an organisation by the title of ‘Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Forum’ and the detained youth were members of the same outfit. According to Police sources, they identified themselves as Advocate Sunny Mahajan of Udhampur, Ambedkar Gupta of Ustad Mohalla, Jammu, who reportedly operated a coaching centre of martial art and LIC agent, Munish Khajuria of Rajpora, Jammu.

SP Security, Maqsood-uz-Zamaan, confirmed to Early Times that he took custody of the trio on the written orders of Speaker under J&K Assembly Business Rules. He said that on the same order, he called SHO Shaheed Gunj to the Legislature Complex in the afternoon and handed over the trio to him. The captured youth were later placed in the lock-up at Police Station Shaheed Gunj. Speaker said in his order that the House would deliberate upon the issue on October 10^th.

Elderly members and staff said that there was no precedence of anybody having jumped onto the floor in Legislature. One of them said that some incidents of tearing papers in the gallery had occurred in the past but nobody from any gallery had ever committed the act of slogan shouting and forcing entry into the well. Informed sources insisted that the three youth had stayed with an expelled BJP MLA at MLAs Hostel who had also driven them to Assembly Complex in his official car.

In Jammu, dissident BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta’s son Anil Gupta said on camera to Take One television that the youth belonged to his party, JKDF. He said that they had raised their voice “in a democratic manner” but did shouting of slogans and jumping onto the floor “in frustration”. Informed sources told this newspaper that Speaker had taken exception to Anil Gupta’s statement on television and he was likely to be included among the abettors. Video footage of Gupta’s statement was being requisitioned from Jammu.

MLA Sapolia admitted to mediapersons outside the House that the three youths had been recommended by him for entry pass. He exclaimed with displeasure that they had betrayed his trust and committed an action which did not have his sanction or encouragement in any manner. He said he would not hesitate to apologize on the floor of the House if he was asked to renounce his ‘mistake’ of facilitating the contemnors’ entry into the public gallery.

END