Amid chaotic scenes over the ‘Pir Panjal’ region remarks of leader of opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today adjourned for 15 minutes by the Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
The uproar started shortly after the Question Hour with Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmad demanding an apology from BJP leader Sunil Sharma over his remarks in an interview with a news portal that there was no term as ‘Pir Panjal’.
Several legislators, including independents, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and ministers Satish Sharma and Javed Ahmad joined the Congress legislator in raising the demand for apology which was strongly opposed by BJP legislators.
While BJP MLAs stood in support of their leader, Sharma remained seated as the deputy CM demanded an unconditional written apology, asserting that the House would not be allowed to function otherwise.
Speaker Rather made futile efforts to pacify the angry legislators but many of them tried to move towards the Well of the House and came face-to-face. Later, he adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
Talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Congress MLA said that unless the LoP does not tender an apology, they will not allow the House to run. “He has disrespected the people of Pir Panjal,” he said, referring to the Poonch and Rajpuri districts.
He said the people of Pir Panjal have laid down their lives while defending the borders and he has “insulted the martyrs” of Pir Panchal.
National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan also demanded an apology from the LoP on the Floor of the House. “He has hurt the people. We will be on protests till he apologises. We will not tolerate insult to those people defending the borders of this country,” he said.
Later, the BJP legislators staged a sit-in outside the Assembly alleging that they were not being allowed to speak in the House.