Opposition BJP, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and Jammu State Morcha today boycotted Governor N N Vohra’s joint address to the state Assembly protesting the Omar Abdullah-led government’s “anti-national act” of stopping BJP leaders from hoisting the tricolor on January 26, among other issues.
The eleven members arrived on foot in the Assembly, sporting the national tricolor on their chests, protesting “the Omar Abdullah government’s anti-national act” of stopping party leaders from hoisting the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on January 26.
They entered the Central halls of Legislature and started shouted slogans like ‘Apmaan nahi sahain gay (we will not tolerate insult to tricolour) and Vande Mataram’ when Governor N N Vohra was about the begin the joint address.
“We are here to protest strongly against the insult to National flag, shabby treatment meted out to the leaders of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley by Omar Government by keeping them hostage and not allowing them to address public rally in Jammu against their constitutional and democratic rights,” Leader of BJP Legislative party, Chaman Lal Gupta told Vohra.
Mr. Gupta also attacked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his comment on accession of the state to India.
After five minutes, BJP members walked out and boycotted the Governor’s address. Lone JMM Member Ashwani Kumar also boycotted the session.
Later N N Vohra began his address at 10:30 hours and ended without disruption at 11:20 hours.
JKNPP also boycotted the speech and sat on dharna in front of the Assembly in protest against the alleged failure of the state government on “all fronts“.
“There is no governance in Jammu and Kashmir. Writ of Government is not seen on the ground. Discrimination continues with Jammu as one lakh employments were announced by PM for Kashmir ignoring Jammu,” JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh told reporters here today.
“Delimitation of Assembly segments has not been done there. It has been done in Jammu region, which has more population and geographical area than Kashmir but less Assembly seats,” Mr. Singh said.
However, PDP maintained total calm and took part in the Assembly session peacefully. Led by the opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti, entire PDP keenly observed the Governor’s speech unlike last year when they had boycotted the budget session for over a week.
Budget session of Jammu and Kashmir began today and budget would be presented on March 7.
