Order was restored in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed regret over remarks made during the Assembly proceedings, saying statements were made in the heat of the moment and that he had no objection if they are expunged from the record.
Earlier in the morning, BJP legislators trooped into the well of the Assembly and also staged a walkout over the issue.
While the BJP members were shouting slogans, the chief minister entered the House to make a statement, prompting the speaker to ask the protesting members to return to their seats.
“As far as emotions are concerned, things do get said in the heat of the moment. If what I said hurt them, I regret that,” Omar said.
He, however, said whatever he said was about them, he did not bring any of their family members into it. “I did not mention any of their relatives. However, their field commander (LOP) dragged my parents and my late grandfather into the matter. But let that also go. I am willing to leave that aside,” he said.
He criticised the absence of the LoP Sunil Sharma (BJP) among the protesters and said their field commander abandoned them at the time of the crisis but “I salute them for holding their fort”. “I care as much about my MLAs as I care about them. If I say that I am the elected chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, then I represent the voters here on the treasury benches as well as the voters of the opposition”.
“This morning, all their questions were pending. It would have been very easy for us; there were many questions that might have been difficult for us to answer. Now, because of this commotion, those questions will remain unanswered. And the Minister rightly said that departments like education, health, and social welfare are very important. I do not want their voters to feel ignored,” he said.
Addressing the Speaker, the chief minister said, “I leave it to you – if in my speech yesterday I used any unparliamentary word, you may expunge it from the record. I have no objection.” Earlier, as the House assembled for the day, BJP legislator Sham Lal Sharma stood up and demanded that the Chief Minister should apologise for his remarks or a statement be made by the speaker in absence of the chief minister.