Jammu and Kashmir legislative council was on Wednesday rocked by noisy scenes amid an adjournment and walkouts by the opposition over issues of discrimination against Kashmir Valley in distribution of power sector funds and failure to fix a time-frame for elections to Block Development Councils.
As the legislative council started proceedings for the day, National Conference members led by Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and Bashir Ahmed Veeri stood from their seats and held protests, accusing the state government of discriminating against Kashmir Valley over the distribution of power sector funds.
Seeking answers from the government and deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, who is the minister incharge for power, oppositions members walked into the Well of the House and protested over the release of funds for the repair of damaged transformers in Kashmir Valley.
The government planning department yesterday released Rs 3.5 crore for the repair of damaged power transformers in the state, out of which Rs 2.5 crore was released for Jammu and Rs 1 crore for Kashmir Valley.
Another NC member Shahnaaz Ganai also protested in Well of the House by throwing a question paper over the failure to take up her resolution on Moghal road in the Council.
As the opposition members continued to disrupt the House,Chairman Jahangir Mir adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
After the adjournment, the House gathered but the NC members continued to protest seeking answers from the government. They also exchanged words with PDP member Surinder Choudhary, who counselled NC members, saying “Why are you only bothered about Kashmir, you should also think about Jammu?”
“The state government, which talked of the equatable “The state government, which talked of the equatable distribution of the funds and under development, have discriminated with Kashmir in release of funds meant for Power sector,” Lone said.
He said he wanted to know about the discrimination against the people of Kashmir who have suffered more due to the incessant rains and floods in the state.
“There is more damage caused to power infrastructure in Kashmir valley, but it got less funds than Jammu”, he said.
During the Question Hour, Congress members Gulam Nabi Monga and Sham Lal Bhagat posed a question to the government about the time-frame set for elections to Block Development Councils and the Chairmen.
Replying to the question, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Abdul Haq Khan said, “It is under consideration”.
Unsatisfied by the reply of the minister, the Congress and NC members - Monga, Bhagat, Shahnaaz Ganie and Ali Mohmmad Dar - walked into the Well of the House, protested and sought exact time frame for elections.
Later they staged a walkout from the House.
(With inputs from PTI)
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