Annual budget passed in 4 minutes as opposition stall House proceeding
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : Virtually bowing to the pressure of opposition, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was today adjourned sin die, at least ten days ahead of the schedule calendar, but not before the coalition government managed to pass the annual budget and also the Bills for approving the grants, despite of continuous uproar and commotion crated by the opposition parties.
Late in the afternoon, the agitated JKNPP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia even reached to the chair of Speaker Tara Chand but was stopped by the Marshals, who forced a ring around the speaker.
The opposition parties stalled the proceedings of the House on the fifth consecutive day today forcing the speaker to adjourn the House twice. As the opposition parties refused to calm down, the government decided to Call It a Day and passed the grants in the absence of the opposition.
As the state Legislative Assembly met for daily business, here on Tuesday, the opposition parties especially National Conference and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party members continue their fume against the government seeking probe in the cases pending against its ministers in state accountability commission and vigilance organization, as reported in the news-Papers, as also immediate removal of two `tainted’ ministers from the state cabinet.
As the NC members were demanding sacking of the ministers, Panthers Party chief whip and former education mister Harsh Dev Singh asked the government to apologize for cane-charging the unemployed engineers.
“We won’t allow the House to run till government apologizes for its rigid actions and behaviors”, Harsh shouted.
National conference MLA Muhammad Syed Akhoon waving black handkerchief towards the speaker was seen chanting slogans like, “Yeh Sarkar Choor Hai, Gali Gali Main Shoor Hai”
The opposition members later stormed the Well of the House, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for one hour.
The opposition members, however, continued with their protest even after the House met. On the other side speaker asked the finance minister Tariq Hamid Karra to move the grants motion, which the later red in hurry and asked speaker to pass the same.
Amid uproar the speaker again adjourn the house for half an hour at 11.35 AM.
Pandemonium and commotion again mar the proceedings of the House, which again met at 12.35 PM. However, the finance minister, tactfully, moved the grants.
The protesting opposition members tried to storm the Well but were stopped by the assembly staff.
The speaker despite uproar read the motion moved by the finance minister and passed the grants of all the departments and adjourned the House till 3:30 PM.
The opposition was up in arms against the government as the House met again. Finance minister Tariq Hameed Qarra stood up and moved the Bills for appropriation amid the commotion and uproar created by the opposition.
The Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia even came close to the Speaker but was stopped by the Marshals leading to a brief scuffle.
With few minutes the government managed to pass the annual budget and Speaker announced the adjournment of the House sine die.
It is pertinent to mention here that as per the calendar issued by the Assembly, the House proceeding was scheduled till February 9, 2008.