Uproar in J&K Assembly over delay in airlifting martyr’s body

Opposition MLAs create ruckus during budget session in the Legislative Assembly in Jammu on Tuesday. (Source: PTI)

Protests against the Mufti Sayeed government continued to rock the Jammu-Kashmir Legislative Assembly for the second day on Wednesday as it could not send home the body of one of the three policemen killed in terrorist attack at Shopian on Monday.

Cries of “Zalim (cruel) Sarkar (government) Hai Hai,” rung in the House as opposition Congress MLAs led by Nawang Rigzin Jora raised slogans in protest over the delay in sending the body of a deceased cop to his family members in Leh. “Speaker Sahab, his body is still lying at the airport,” Jora said.

Trouble began soon after the House assembled in the morning and Speaker called the first question. All the three opposition legislators from Ladakh including Jora, Delden Namgyal and Asghar Karbalai were on their feet drawing the Speaker’s attention.

As the Speaker continued with the scheduled business during the question hour, the agitating legislators from Ladakh were joined by other MLAs from Congress including Usman Majid and G M Saroori, besides independent Engineer Abdul Rashid. A number of them even came to the Well raising slogans.

The Forest Minister Bali Bhagat tried to pacify them saying that an Indian Airlines flight from Delhi is airlifting the body to Leh around 12 noon. The cop’s body could not be airlifted yesterday as weather remained bad throughout the day. An SP level officer along with a head constable is accompanying the body to Leh and all the expenses will be borne by the state government.

However, not satisfied with government’s reply, Congress members staged a walkout from the House.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress MLA Delden Namgyal had appealed to the members of the House not to indulge in politics over the matter.

“Shame…Shame’” was the reaction from National Conference MLAs, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Devender Rana, who taking a jibe on BJP MLAs said “you see what treatment is being given to martyrs during your rule”.

Source:: Indian Express