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Opposition keeps off J&K Assembly

Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR: In an unprecedented development, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Friday conducted its proceedings without the Opposition for the second consecutive day.

Eleven members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and three of the National Panthers Party (NPP) were marshalled out on Thursday after they created a ruckus, objecting to remarks made by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Assembly on Wednesday. Mr. Abdullah had said neither he nor any member of his Council of Ministers was acting as the Centre's puppet of the Centre while responding to charges levelled by the Opposition.

A first

This is probably the first time in the last eight years that the Assembly was conducted without the Opposition members. “To my knowledge, it is for the first time in the history of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature that the entire Opposition is boycotting it,” a former Assembly official told The Hindu.

The three NPP members joined the House for a while, but demanded that Mr. Abdullah's remarks be expunged.

Their leader Harsh Dev Singh said what happened in the House on Thursday was very unfortunate.

“This should not have happened,” he said, adding that if members were not allowed to speak they had no option but to protest. “We have the highest regard for this institution and Chair.”

BJP boycott

The BJP had announced the boycott of the rest of the session and declared “October 7 as the black day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir Legislature.” Senior BJP leader Ashok Khajuria was referring to the injuries his party MLAs suffered during the scuffle with the marshals.

Ashwini Sharma, lone MLA of Jammu State Morcha has also joined the BJP's boycott. “They have murdered democracy and are working at the behest of separatists,” he said.

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