J&K Speaker to take action against Oppn member for disrespecting National Anthem
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker, Kavinder Gupta, on Tuesday said that action would be initiated against opposition members accused of showing disrespect to the National Anthem during the Governor’s address to the joint sitting of the State Legislature on Monday.
Mr. Gupta said that he has taken cognizance of the incident and while terming it “contemptuous” strongly condemned it. He said, “The entire House strongly condemns the disrespectful behaviour exhibited by some legislators towards the National Anthem”.
The Governor was forced to cut short his speech and leave the venue in huff amid protests and slogan chanting by the opposition members over the civilian deaths in the Valley during the unrest set off by the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahedin commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
The BJP lawmakers accused the opposition National Conference and Congress members of showing disrespect to the National Anthem as they didn't stop protesting when it was being played after the Governor hurriedly ended his speech amid the din. Some of the opposition members threw the placards they were holding towards the Governor while he was addressing the joint sitting ahead of the budget session of the bicameral house.
Mr. Gupta responding to the issue raised by the members of the Treasury Benches in the House on Tuesday said that National Anthem is the nation’s pride and identity. “As law makers and representatives of the people, it is our responsibility to uphold the dignity of the National Anthem,” he said, hoping that such disapproving action will not be repeated in future.
He further said that he would see the rules and regulations and will take action against them accordingly. However, Congress leader and former minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora said. "There is no question of disrespecting the National Anthem."
Meanwhile, Independent MLA Sheikh Abdur Rashid was marshalled out of the House after he had heated exchanges with BJP members towards the end of his speech during the discussion on 2016 civil unrest in Kashmir. He said that J&K had never been India’s integral part nor will remain in future, unless people of the State are allowed to decide their political future through promised plebiscite.
He said, “While just few hundred people participated in the funeral of (then) Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, about fifty thousand turned up at that of (militant commander) Abu Qasim, a non-local, only for the reason that for Kashmiris militants are not terrorists”.
He compared Burhan Wani with PLO leader Yasir Arafat and Subash Chandra Bose and Raj Guru and said, “Let world understand that lahks don’t turn up to the funeral of terrorists and the huge funeral of Burhan is enough to conclude that while the State is ruling through the barrel of gun, Burhan was ruling the hearts of people. It is not New Delhi but Burhan and Abu Dujana who are ruling Kashmir.”
