STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The BJP on Wednesday walked out of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly here after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather announced expunging of “derogatory remarks” of the leader of opposition about the July 13, 1931 ‘martyrs’ amid pandemonium in the House.
BJP leader and LoP Sunil Sharma made the remarks on the 1931 ‘martyrs’ after PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para demanded restoration of the public holiday on July 13 besides the December 5 holiday to mark the birth anniversary of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
Both the holidays were scrapped by the lieutenant governor-led administration following abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories in August 2019.
Taking part in a debate on the motion of thanks to LG’s address at a time when NC president Farooq Abdullah reached the visitors’ gallery to watch the proceedings, Para sought restoration of the two holidays and highlighted the importance of the July 13, 1931 when 22 men fell to the bullets of Dogra Maharaja’s soldiers outside Srinagar central jail and the contribution of the NC founder.
“They have sacrificed their lives against autocracy and for democracy and the House, irrespective of party affiliation and ideology, should come together to restore the July 13 holiday and also Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s holiday given his political stature and the contribution,” Para said.
BJP’s Sharma reacted angrily to Para’s statement and opposed the restoration of holiday on July 13.
“I can feel the pain of Para after his party’s performance (in assembly elections). You are enjoying the state of Maharaja (Hari Singh)…,” he said, triggering protests by treasury benches led by NC, PDP and several independent members and slogan shouting from both sides.
Later, the Speaker announced expunging of the “derogatory remarks” following which all 28 members of the BJP staged a walkout.
“This is their wrong notion that the peace in Kashmir is hollow. The terrorism is taking its last breath, while separatism and Jamaat are buried. The foot is not on the spring but at a smooth surface and Indian security forces have promised to restore peace in J&K,” Sharma told reporters outside the assembly.
He said the BJP did not consider those killed in 1931 uprising against Maharaja as “martyrs”. “The Maharaja was a justice loving king and anyone who rose up in rebellion is a traitor and we are proud of him. Why are they not shedding tears for those killed in their rule in 2010 and 2016.”