Noisy protests in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, on Monday, 29 January, forced the Speaker to adjourn the Question Hour to discuss the death of two civilians in alleged firing by security forces in Shopian district on Saturday, 27 January.
Amid noisy scenes from the Opposition benches, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti requested the speaker Kavinder Gupta to allow the discussion, leading to the adjournment of the Question Hour.
What has happened (in Shopian) is unfortunate... Some members want to discuss the issue, there should be a discussion. It is the right of the house to allow the discussion.Mehbooba Mufti, J&K CM
National Conference working president Omar Abdullah also assured his party's full support to the PDP-BJP government in putting an end to violence and bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir and suggested an all-party meet to discuss the prevailing law-and-order situation.
We have to come together in this House so that a strong message is sent outside that there is enough of bloodshed and we have to stop it.National Conference working president Omar Abdullah
He further added, "Make an attempt, because you (CM Mehbooba Mufti) are the leader of the House. I assure you that whatever you require in terms of support from us that we are able to end this cycle of bloodshed and violence, the NC will support any step you take so that we can put an end to having to intervene like this.”
Questioning the government’s order to carry out a magisterial inquiry as well as registration of an FIR against Army personnel in the Shopian incident, Abdullah said confusing signals are being sent out.
"On one hand, magisterial inquiry was ordered and simultaneously, an FIR was lodged against the Army in which a Major and some personnel were named," he said, adding if the FIR had been lodged against unknown persons, the importance of magisterial inquiry would have remained intact.
Earlier, opposition members from the National Conference, the Congress and the CPI(M), supported by ruling PDP legislators from Shopian, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat and Sonawar Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, rose on their feet, soon after the House assembled on Monday morning.
With pictures of the Shopian incident in their hands, the members moved the adjournment motion to discuss the prevailing law and order situation and raised slogans in support of their demand.
The Speaker asked them to take their seats, assuring a discussion after the Question Hour, but the Opposition did not budge from its demand prompting intervention by the Chief Minister.
Earlier in the session, the NC demanded the arrest of soldiers named in the FIR, while the ruling BJP demanded the complaint's withdrawal.
"Politics apart, this cycle of killings must end. We all have to end this bloodshed," former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in the state Assembly.
Two youths were allegedly killed and nine others injured in Army firing at Ganovpora in Shopian on Saturday, after a mob mob targeted a convoy with stones.
The police has registered a case against the Army personnel involved in the firing incident and the state government has also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. The government has sought the magisterial probe’s report within 20 days, even as a defence spokesman maintained that the soldiers opened fire in self-defence.
A day after the incident, BJP MLA Ravinder Raina reportedly said, ‘‘the army did the right thing by opening fire.’’
According to a Greater Kashmir report, Raina – a legislator from Nowshera constituency – also indicated that an FIR against the army would not work, as it ‘‘enjoys impunity under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J&K.’’
(With inputs from PTI)
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