Srinagar:Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday revoked the suspension of two members of the main opposition National Conference (NC) following requests by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Congress, Communist Party of India (M) and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) members.
However, NC members did not return to the House and continued their dharna near the main gate of the assembly complex.
Immediately after the House met members from Congress, lone CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami PDF member Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and Independent member Er Sheikh Abdul Rashid were on their feet.
However, the benches of main opposition NC were vacant as Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi also kept away from the House in protest against the suspension of Abdul Majid Bhat (Larni) and Aftab Ahmad Wani by speaker for rest of the session on Tuesday.
The NC had announced to boycott rest of the session against the suspension.
There were noisy scenes as all the opposition members began speaking at the same time creating a din.
However, the Speaker saved the situation and said he would allow some of the opposition members to speak before starting the Question-Hour.
PDF member Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, the first to speak inquired about the Adjournment Motion submitted by him and CPI(M) member Tarigami, demanding immediate discussion on unemployment, daily wagers and National Youth Corps (NYC) hunger strike.
Later, Tarigami demanded that House should revoke the suspension of the two members.
“Mufti Sahib has said that opposition has an important role to play, Look at the seats of main opposition NC which are vacant..only few days are left for session..let us revoke the suspension so that NC could also take part in the proceedings and this House functions smoothly,” he said. Congress member Usman Majeed, however, expressed disappointment that Speaker had not allowed opposition members to speak earlier.
“If you had adopted same attitude during the past few days, allowing members to express their views before the start of the proceedings, situation in the House would have been different?, he said.
He also requested the chair to revoke the suspension of the members.
He also said that Congress had submitted an Adjournment Motion on law and order situation in the state in view of ”killings of innocents by unidentified gunmen.”
Another Congress member Ajaz Khan expressed concern over the killings and damage due to ceasefire violation by Pakistan. ”We have submitted a motion on this, let the Chair suspend the Question-Hour and start discussion on law and order in the state,” he demanded.
He also described suspension of two NC members, as ”undemocratic” saying that the speaker should have first named them. “You (Speaker) directly ordered marshals to take them out,” he said.
The Chief minister however, intervened and said opposition has a role to oppose, depose and dispose.
“But benches of main opposition NC are vacant, I request you to revoke the suspension of two members of the House, he said adding “. If we will not raise our issues where we will go, they should be allowed to participate in the smooth functioning of the House.
Mr Gupta announced that he has revoked the suspension of both the members and authorised Mr Tarigami and secretary Legislative Assembly to inform NC about the decision of the Chair.
However, Tarigami said the decision of the Speaker was conveyed to NC members who were still on ”dharna” outside the House.
The NC members said they will not attend the proceedings in the lower House until the suspension of their two other members in the Upper House of the assembly was also revoked. (UNI)
