Srinagar: Two National Conference legislators were on Tuesday suspended from the Jammu and Kashmir assembly for creating trouble demanding a debate on the issue of permanent residency in the state.
National Conference and Congress members disrupted the proceedings of the assembly when the question hour started, seeking a discussion on article 35A of the Indian constitution.
The article deals with issues related to permanent residency and buying land in the country’s only Muslim-majority state.
National Conference and Congress legislators held banners that read “Save Article 35 A”. The Congress also demanded regularization of daily wagers in the state.
Many of the protesting legislators trooped near the speaker’s podium.
Speaker Kavinder Gupta did not allow a discussion on the article and suspended Altaf Kaloo and Abdul Majeed Larmi for the rest of the session for their unruly behaviour.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah then said that his party would boycott the rest of the session.
“Two NC members have been suspended for the rest of the session. We will boycott the rest of the session,” he tweeted.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari told the house that since the Supreme Court was hearing a petition against article 35A, the assembly cannot discuss the issue.
Two other National Conference legislators – Ali Muhammad Dar and Showkat Ahmad Zargar – were also suspended in the upper house.
The party’s Devender Rana accused the speaker of gagging the opposition.
Ministers continued to reply to questions during the question hour in both the assembly and the legislative council but the din created by the opposition marred the proceedings.
The autumn session of the bicameral legislature started on October 3 and will end on October 10.