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J&K Assembly: two MLAs marshalled out

Shujaat Bukhari

— PHOTO: PTI

Two legislators being marshalled out of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after an uproar over inter-district recruitments in Jammu on Wednesday.

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes as two MLA's were marshalled out on the Speaker's orders after they tried to rush to the well, protesting against the delay in bringing about a Bill banning inter-district recruitment in the State.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Panthers Party members also raised their voice over the “rehabilitation policy for stone-pelters” and the issue of refugees from west Pakistan.

As the House assembled in the morning on Wednesday, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Lolab, Abdul Haque Khan, and the independent MLA from Langate, Abdur Rashid, shouted and demanded that the Bill banning inter-district recruitment be brought immediately to the House for passage. The Bill had earlier been sent to a Select Committee and was later introduced in the House. But for past one year, the government has been dithering over moving it for consideration. The issue of inter-district recruitment came to the fore last year when applicants from other districts applied for various posts in Kupwara and many were selected, raising concerns that the “genuine share of a particular district” was being usurped.

Both MLAs belong to the Kupwara district. They were joined by National Conference (NC) MLAs Saifullah Mir and Kafilur Rehman. As both Mr. Khan and Mr. Rashid tried to force the government to respond, the Speaker ordered the marshals to take them outside. This led to pandemonium in the House, as all PDP MLAs voiced the same sentiment as Mr. Khan. They too came to the well and raised slogans, but the Speaker did not relent and all PDP members walked out.

Later, the Speaker asked the government to give a statement on the issue in the House on Thursday, which cooled down tempers.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the Panthers Party members sought an explanation from the government about a policy being formulated to rehabilitate stone-throwers in Srinagar. The BJP members wanted to know how the government could, arbitrarily, make a policy without taking the House into confidence. “This is appeasement of anti-national elements, while the nationalist forces are being discouraged,” they said.

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