MLA Rashid creates ruckus in House over Hari Singh resolution

JAMMU: Independent MLA Engineer Rashid today created ruckus over Legislative Council passing a resolution declaring September 23, the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh, a holiday and asked National Conference to clarify if its supports or opposes it.

Rashid stood up from his bench pointing towards the statement of NC Provincial President of Jammu region Devender Rana and asked if the party leadership supports or opposes the resolution.

He referred to the statement of Rana saying he supported the resolution.

"How can we praise Sheikh Sahab (Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) and Maharaja (Hari Singh) at the same time?" Rashid asked the House.

"Tell us whom you are with?" he asked.

While asking National Conference to come clear on the resolution he said that, we should not celebrate July 13 as martyr's day.

He also questioned BJP whether they will take part in Martyr's Day.

National Conference MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone distanced from Rana's statement and said it might be his "personal stand" but the party does not stand with that.

Later talking to reporters, Rashid said the NC is playing differently to appease the people in Kashmir and Jammu.

"There is a possibility of the next government being that of BJP and NC," Rashid said.

In another incident, Independent MLA Pawan Gupta tore the answer given by the government in connection with the questions regarding health services and threw it in the Well of the House before staging a walkout.

He alleged the government gave "unsatisfactory" reply to his questions on allocations with reason of "discrimination" in revenue and budgets with regard to medical education institutes in Udhampur.