Independent MLA Engineer Rashid was today thrashed by some BJP legislators in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for hosting a beef party, triggering an uproar from the opposition, who staged a walkout. The manhandling of Rashid, who had hosted the party at the MLA hostel yesterday, came on a day the Assembly was scheduled to take up a bill on the ban on beef.
As BJP MLAs assaulted Rashid, several National Conference (NC) and Congress MLAs rushed to his rescue. The assault on the floor of the House triggered an angry reaction from the opposition with NC leader Omar Abdullah saying it was impossible to digest the incident.
Condemning the assault, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said sentiments should be kept under check.
I condemn this incident. The House has good tradition, sentiments should be kept under control. I ask Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to apologise for the misconduct of his party MLAs.
– Mufti Mohammed Sayeed
Singh, who is from the BJP, on his part said, “We do not approve of what happened in the Assembly today. But what happened in the MLA hostel yesterday was also wrong,”.
He stopped short of apologising for the incident, following which the entire opposition staged a walkout.
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