Normal proceedings resume in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly

Srinagar: Normal proceedings resumed in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday after four days of ruckus in the House, during which an Independent MLA was also assaulted by BJP legislators over his controversial beef party.

Barring Sheikh Abdul Rashid, opposition members from both National Conference and Congress were present in the House and the Question Hour was conducted for the first time during the current session as per normal practice.

Rashid had hosted a beef party inside the MLA Hostel, which led to an assault on him inside the Assembly by three BJP MLAs yesterday.

As soon as the House started the proceedings, Congress MLAs rose on their feet and demanded that Speaker Kavinder Gupta suspend the Question Hour for discussing the security situation in the state.

However, the Speaker ruled that he has disallowed the adjournment motion moved by the Congress members, who insisted that the issue of security be discussed as it was of importance of the entire state.

However, the Speaker refused to relent, prompting the Congress members to stage a brief walkout from the proceedings. They later returned to take part in the proceedings of the House. The ongoing Autumn Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed scenes of unruly protests and assault on members by fellow members.

The controversial beef ban law, which opposition National Conference and some indepdenent MLAs including Rashid had sought to be amended to decriminalise beef slaughter in the state, had dominated the proceedings of the House so far.

The assault on Rashid led opposition National Conference to walk out from the House and abstain from the proceedings. They returned to the House only after a promise of apology by the government, which was later tendered by Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Nirmal Singh.

There were some uproarious scenes in the House yesterday also when the controversial beef bills, moved by five MLAs -- three from National Conference, Rashid and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami -- could not be taken up in the House due to paucity of time. However, the issue did not find any mention during today's proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Council was adjourned for

the day without taking up the anti-beef ban bills.

The Council, which witnessed normal proceedings after four days of ruckus by the opposition parties over many issues, was adjourned by Chairman Anayat Ali at 1 pm, citing Friday prayers.

Two members of National Conference had moved Bills seeking revocation of some sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) which ban bovine slaughter in the state.

The Bills were listed in the business of the day, but could not be taken up even as other business was conducted smoothly.

The House also saw Congress members staging a walkout as the Chairman disallowed their adjournment motion seeking a discussion on the AIIMS issue.

NC MLC Shehnaz Ganaie also staged a walkout after her clubbed question of flood rehabilitation was not taken up, as the Question Hour concluded.