JAMMU: BJP legislators on Wednesday walked out after Jammu & Kashmir assembly speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, expunged the “ungracious and blunt words” of the leader of opposition (LoP), Sunil Sharma, spoken for those killed on July 13, 1931.Commotion in the proceedings began after Sharma objected to the speech of Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, MLA of PDP, who demanded restoration of public holidays on July 13 (Martyrs Day) and December 5 (birth anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) during a discussion on the motion of thanks on the lieutenant governor’s address.As Para concluded his speech, Sunil Sharma stood up and objected to his demand and made the remarks, now expunged by the speaker.After walking out of the house, Sharma spoke to reporters and made his and his party’s position clear. “July 13 should be remembered in the name of Maqbool Sherwani, Major Somnath Sharma, Brigadier Rajinder Singh, and others who rendered their services to the nation and protected J&K from the enemy. Martyrs day cannot be celebrated in the name of traitors and anti-nationals. Those killed on July 13, 1931, outside Central Jail, Srinagar, were arsonists,” Sharma told reporter outside the house.“I want to tell you today that those killed on July 13 set a Hindu area on fire first, and then started resistance against (the erstwhile) Maharaja’s rule. These people were made martyrs by the Congress party but, under Narendra Modi’s rule, they cannot be considered as martyrs,” Sharma told reporters, adding, “We are saying this in and outside the assembly and we will continue to say so.” He also accused the speaker of bias and acting as the representative of a particular party.Before the current assembly was constituted, the administration under the lieutenant governor scrapped both holidays from the official calendar after the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union territories on August 5, 2019.The remarks of Sharma evoked strong protests from Kashmir-based opposition parties in the house, which were joined in by the treasury benches as well. The leaders of all these parties demanded that Sharma’s remarks be expunged from the records of the house and also that the LoP apologize to the house.“These remarks are humiliating and divisive and should be withdrawn or expunged from the records,” Nizamuddin Bhat, MLA from Bandipora, demanded.After BJP MLAs left, Sajad Gani Lone, MLA of Peoples Conference, demanded that the house pass a resolution for the restoration of holidays on Martyrs Day and on the birthday of NC founder, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.
BJP MLAs walk out after J&K speaker expunges remarks of LoP | India News
