Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 5: Amid uproar, BJP members staged walk out from the House after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather announced expunging of “derogatory remarks” of the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on the July 13, 1931 “martyrs”, who fell to Police bullets during violent protest against the Dogra Maharaja.
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Sunil Sharma made the remarks in response to the speech of PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, who demanded restoration of the public holidays on July 13 and the December 5 in honour of “martyrs” of 1931 and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, respectively.
Besides National Conference MLAs, CPI (M) member M Y Tarigami and Congress leader Nizamuddin Bhat also joined the chorus and demanded expunging of remarks against the 1931 “martyrs” and an apology from the Leader of the Opposition.
Both National Conference and BJP MLAs stood up from their respective seats and exchanged heated words. In the din, little was audible and a few members were seen shouting slogans.
Tarigami said that the remark by Leader of Opposition was derogatory and not acceptable to the House members while Nizamuddin Bhat demanded that the BJP MLA should either withdraw his statement or the Chair should expunge it from proceedings of the House.
On the other side, Sunil Sharma was joined by his party colleagues who were vociferous in their stand against revival of public holiday to honour those who fell to bullets on July 13, 1931.
The high voltage uproar continued for several minutes till the Speaker A R Rather announced expunging of the “derogatory remarks” following which the entire 28 MLAs of BJP staged a walkout amid raising of slogans like `Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Pertinent to mention that July 13 was observed as a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir to commemorate the 22 men who fell to the bullets outside Srinagar central jail in 1931 when they were protesting against the Dogra Maharaja’s rule.
The holiday along with the December 5 holiday in connection with birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah were, however, scrapped by the Lt Governor Administration post 2019 following abrogation of Article 370.
As soon as BJP MLAs walked out, Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference stood up from his seat and appealed that the members should pass a resolution for revival of public holidays on July 13 and December 5, in honour of 1931 ‘martyrs’ and Sheikh Mohd Abdullah.
Even as Speaker did not take cognizance of his appeal, Lone asked the members present in the House to raise their hands in support of the ‘resolution’ which was reciprocated by most of the NC MLAs.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, while talking to media persons outside the House, reiterated that those who fell to bullets on July 13, 1931, were not martyrs.
“Those who rebelled against Maharaja Hari Singh were not martyrs, but traitors. We are proud of our ideology as well as our Maharaja and any voice of rebellion against the great Maharaja would never be recognized as martyr,” he asserted.
Stating that killing of 125 persons in 2010 and 116 persons in 2016 during the Chief Ministership of Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, respectively, were also outcome of revolt against the State, Sunil Sharma reiterated that public holiday on July 13 would never be restored in Jammu and Kashmir.
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