J-K Assembly proceedings paralysed for third day over Waqf issue; House adjourned sine die

Jammu, Apr 9 (PTI) Uproar over the demand by non-BJP parties for a discussion on the new Waqf Act paralysed proceedings for the third consecutive day in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which was adjourned sine die on Wednesday.

Addressing the members in the House, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather defended his action of disallowing the adjournment motion by some National Conference (NC) members and its alliance partners on the Waqf issue and also disallowed a no-confidence motion moved against him by three opposition members led by Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone, citing business rules and technicalities.

Rather spoke unhindered for more than 15 minutes for the first time in the past three days as the House had been rocked by protests by treasury and opposition members who were demanding a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

According to the revised calendar, Wednesday was the last day of the Budget Session.

The Speaker lauded the contribution of the members in the smooth conduct of the 21-day-long budget session.

Earlier when the House met this morning, the NC members started demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act. The BJP members also walked into the Well demanding that they be given an opportunity to raise their issues like unemployment.

Amid the pandemonium, the Speaker adjourned the house till 1 pm The protests started again as the House reassembled and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik, who was involved in a clash with BJP legislators and some PDP workers outside the House during the three-hour adjournment, tried in vain to raise the issue.

The Assembly witnessed back-to-back full-day adjournments for the last two days on the Waqf issue after the Speaker refused to allow a discussion on the Waqf issue, contending that the matter was sub judice.

On Wednesday, the NC members once again trooped into the well to demand suspension of business to discuss the Waqf Amendment act, while BJP's Balwant Singh Mankotia moved an adjournment motion to discuss the problem of unemployment.

However, the Speaker disallowed the motion saying it is not a recent occurrence and took up scheduled business. He asked BJP member Sunil Bhardwaj to ask his question despite uproarious scenes including slogan shouting from treasury and opposition benches in support of discussion on Waqf and the unemployment issues.

NC legislator Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi pleaded the Speaker to allow a 30-minute discussion using his discretionary powers so that the House could function smoothly.

"This (Waqf Amendment act) is injustice to Muslims and the BJP, which is doing its politics on Hindu-Muslim affairs, is enacting a drama in the House by raising the issue of unemployment.

"They were in power for the last 10 years and they should inform the House about the number of those who have been provided employment by them," Gurezi said.

Gurezi accused the BJP of destroying the region and snatching the rights of the people over land and jobs.

The BJP members led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma walked into the well amid sloganeering by legislators from both sides. Some of them also staged a sit-in. Amid the uproar, the Speaker adjourned the house till 1 pm.

In the morning, the NC legislators and their alliance partners met in the assembly complex in a bid to end the logjam but the meeting -- second within 17 hours -- failed to bring order in the House.

The legislators had also met on Tuesday evening. PTI TAS TAS RT RT

Source: PTI