Ruckus in J-K Assembly over special status resolution, House adjourned for day
Srinagar (PTI): A brawl broke out between BJP MLAs and marshals of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Thursday after the speaker directed eviction of opposition members who had stormed the well during their protest over the special status resolution.
At least three MLAs were marshalled out on the directions of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather but the brawl ensued due to resistance put up by the opposition members
Amidst the ruckus, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings for the day.
As soon as the assembly met this morning, uproar prevailed as BJP members protested against the resolution that was passed on Wednesday.
While BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma was speaking over the resolution, Awami Ittehad Party leader and MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed jumped into the well displaying a banner that read Articles 370 and 35A be restored.
This infuriated the BJP members, who also jumped into the well and snatched the banner, which they tore into pieces.
The speaker the adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.
However, the BJP members continued their protest even after the House was adjourned.
After the House resumed its proceedings, the BJP members continued to protest, even as the speaker requested the opposition members to take their seats.
"You are LoP, we will hear you," the speaker told Sharma.
However, when the protest continued, the speaker said, "You are not above rules. See the rules. I am very closely watching activities of some members. Don't force me to do what I don't want to do".
Sharma, however, said, "I want the National Conference's drama of special status to end", which infuriated the treasury benches leading to protests.
As the din continued, almost all MLAs stood on their feet.
The BJP members raised slogans "Balidaan huway jahan Mukherjee woh Kashmir hamara hai" while NC MLAs stated "Jis Kashmir ko khoon say seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai".
As the uproar continued, the speaker issued directions that nothing should be recorded or reported.
The speakers then directed marshalling out of BJP members who stormed the well, leading to a scuffle between assembly marshals and the BJP MLAs.
"They deserve it, throw them out," the Speaker said.
As the lone BJP woman MLA, Shagun Parihar stood on a table, female marshals were called in to deal with her.
As the BJP MLAs were marshalled out, they came to blows with the marshals.
Three BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the House amidst thumping of tables by the treasury benches.
While the NC members raised the slogans of "Jammu Kashmir ki awaaz kya, (Article) 370 aur kya", BJP MLAs raised "Bharat Mata ki Jai".
Minister Satish Sharma stood up and said the BJP "is playing divide and rule"
He said "Bharat mata" belonged to all.
"The table on which they (BJP members) were standing on yesterday had Constitution of India on it. They stood on it with their shoes on. They should be punished for it," Sharma said.
However, the ruckus continued in the House.
After the passage of the resolution on Wednesday, the House had witnessed uproar as the BJP members protested vociferously, resulting in frequent disruptions of the proceedings. Eventually, the speaker had adjourned the House for the day.
JK Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary had moved the resolution which said, "That this legislative assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal."
It said the JK Assembly calls upon the government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of the people of JK for restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees, and to workout constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions.
"This Assembly emphasises that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," the resolution added.
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Gujarat man held for impersonating govt official, duping people with forged letters
Ahmedabad (PTI): The Ahmedabad police have arrested a 29-year-old man who allegedly posed as a senior revenue official and used fake letters claiming to be from various government departments to cheat people, an official said on Sunday.
Mehul Shah, an engineer who manages two schools at Vankaner in Gujarat’s Morbi district, is accused of making lakhs of rupees with bogus documents and false claims, said inspector (crime branch) JK Makwana.
Shah had forged an appointment letter from the Ahmedabad district education officer (DEO) to offer a computer operator’s job in a government office to a complainant’s son. He also introduced himself as a trustee of a school and did not pay a man Rs 7 lakh due to him over the painting of a school building, the official said.
“Despite holding no official position in the state or central government, he used fake work permits and NOCs to cheat people of lakhs of rupees,” the police official said.
One complainant alleged that Shah identified himself as a top revenue department official and produced a fake letter from the chairman of the “department of science and research development” to make him install a siren and curtain in a hired vehicle but did not pay for the job, he said.
Bogus letters claiming to be from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ahmedabad DEO were used by the accused to cheat the complainants, the police official said.
Police have recovered from his possession fake identity cards and letters with headings like “bharat gaurav ratna shri samman council”, “chairman of department of science and research development”, “health and family welfare department”, and “road and building department”.
“The FIR is based on complaints by three victims. We appeal to the people to come forward and submit their complaints if they have been cheated by Shah in any way,” Makwana said.
