Speaker doesn't allow beef motions, Opposition doesn't allow him to run House 

●Amid ruckus, NC MLAs call Kavinder 'RSS man'

●I am proud to be RSS man: Speaker

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Sep 5: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed pandemonium with the beginning of business for the weeklong autumn session on Monday even as Speaker Kavinder Gupta disallowed Opposition's two adjournment motions for a discussion on the demand of scrapping the law that makes cow-slaughter and consumption of beef punishable by 10 years of imprisonment. The Opposition in turn labelled the Speaker as an "RSS man" and did not allow him to operate any proceedings----forcing him to adjourn the House for a day.

In all, Speaker had received five adjournment motions. One of the motions seeking urgent discussion on the situation created by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court order, dated September 8th, for enforcement of section 298-A, B, C and D, had been jointly filed by a number of the National Conference members who included Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Mian Altaf Ahmad. Another adjournment motion of the same substance had been moved jointly by CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and independent MLA Hakeem Mohammad Yasin. 

Speaker informed the House that he had disallowed both the beef-related motions under Rule 58 sub rule 7 that does not permit such discussion on a matter pending for hearing before a judicial court. He clarified that the three Bills on the same subject would come up for consideration on October 8, the scheduled date for private members' Bills.

Besides, PDP's Anjum Fazili, Javed Hassan Baig and Shah Mohammad Tantray had moved a motion to discuss rise in incidents of domestic violence and brurning of women. Congress MLAs had jointly moved two separate motions for revocation of the hike in service tax of helicopter services for Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine pilgrims and the government’s failure to provide relief to the flood victims of September 2014.

Speaker said that he has disallowed all three of these motions as it was a brief sessions of one week and the members could avail other tools (like 30 minutes discussion and 150 minutes discussion) to agitate these matters. He implored the agitating members to let him run the scheduled business without seeking any adjournment.

However, even before the Speaker's announcement, all the Opposition members got up on their toes and created a ruckus. After the first 7 minutes of disruption, Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes. As the members of NC, Congress, CPM and some independent MLAs including Engineer Rashid and Hakeem Yasin did not relent, Speaker ordered another adjournment for one hour.

When the Speaker returned at 12.02 p.m, entire Opposition joined the course of anti-BJP, anti-PDP and anti-RSS slogans. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as well as NC Chief Omar Abdullah were in attendance. The NC brigade led by Sagar labelled Speaker Gupta as an "RSS man" while forcefully alleging through slogans that the BJP-PDP coaltion was running the "RSS agenda" in Jammu and Kashmir.

On one tumultuous occasion, NC’s Devinder Singh Rana shouted on Speaker, asking him to clarify whether he was a BJP MLA or an RSS man. Speaker retorted: "I'm proud to be an RSS man". This incensed the entire Opposition and members of different parties trooped into the well. They stood up on tables, tore off papers and continued with slogans against the coalition and the Speaker. 

Two of the NC's belligerent MLAs, Altaf Wani alias Kaloo and Abdul Majid Mir, were dragged out by the watch and ward staff. One of the marshals was injured in the scuffle. Failing to restore order for 33 minutes of mayhem, Speaker adjourned the House for full day.

While as most of the Ministers and MLAs of the Treasury Bench maintained calm and did not confront the Opposition, PDP's Anjum Fazili was one-odd MLA who was seen trying to retaliate.

Later speaking to STATE TIMES, the Opposition MLAs asserted that they would not allow any of the scheduled Business even on Tuesday and subsequently until Speaker sustained the adjournment motions and allowed a special discussion on the beef and cow-slaughter issues.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]