NC blames Oppn for ‘pre-planning’ student protest
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Feb 18: Pandemonium broke out in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today as BJP legislators staged a protest and later walked out over alleged police action against girl students demanding a campus of the proposed National Law University (NLU) in the Jammu region.
The ruling National Conference, however, blamed the opposition for “pre-planning” the student protest and later “enacting a drama” inside the House to “fool the people of Jammu region.”
The uproar began when BJP MLA from Udhampur East, Ranbir Singh Pathania, raised the issue as a point of information during discussion on grants of several departments headed by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
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He alleged that girl students protesting outside the Civil Secretariat were brutally lathicharged by on-duty male police personnel, while they were demanding a campus of the proposed National Law University, in Jammu.
As Pathania spoke, several BJP MLAs – including Satish Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Sham Lal Sharma, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Baldev Raj Sharma, Darshan Singh, Dalip Parihar, Shakti Raj Parihar, Shagun Parihar and Dr Sunil Bhardwaj among others-stood up holding placards and raised slogans against the alleged police action.
Chairperson Mubarik Gul repeatedly asked them to return to their seats, but the sloganeering continued.
Members of the ruling Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, including Abdul Majid Larmi, Hilal Akbar Lone, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Minister Satish Sharma, and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, also stood up to counter the protest.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused the BJP of staging a “pre-planned drama,” questioning how they arranged placards so quickly after the protest.
“Yeh Placards Itni Jaldi Kahan Se Aaye. Iska Matlab Yeh Sab Drama Pehle Se Planned Tha (How did you arrange these placards so quickly? It shows, this entire drama was pre-planned),” he said.
NC legislator Nazir Ahmed Gurezi also challenged the BJP to protest outside Lok Bhawan, saying the police functioned under the Home Department headed by Lieutenant Governor.
As heated exchanges continued, Surinder Choudhary said the matter related to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the BJP was indirectly protesting against him.
Minister Satish Sharma said he condemned any police excess but added that the issue should be taken up with the Lieutenant Governor, who oversees the police in the Union Territory.
Tensions rose further when BJP MLAs moved towards the front rows with placards, with marshals stopping them from entering the well.
Amid continued sloganeering, several BJP members staged a walkout, while others protested briefly inside the House before the Chair adjourned the proceedings of the day.
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