J&K assembly adjourned amid din

Pandemonium over the alleged involvement of Sartaj Madni, a seinor leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in land grabbing forced the speaker to adjourn the Jammu and Kashmir assembly Friday.

Speaker Mubarak Gul adjourned the session amid allegations and counter-allegations between the ruling National Conference (NC) and the PDP over the alleged land grab in Anantnag district's Marhama area, involving over 500 acres of state land.

The NC members alleged a document pertaining to the land grab scandal carried Madni's signatures.

Meanwhile, Madni rose in the house when the day's proceedings started and asserted that he would resign from the assembly if he was found involved in the alleged land grab.

The speaker directed that all documents pertaining to alleged land grab be presented to him on Saturday before zero hour. He also directed that the issue be probed by the Crime Branch.

He also said the state legislative council has directed the state's chief secretary to probe the matter and submit a detailed report.

As members of the Panthers Party and Independent member Engineer Rashid advanced to the speaker's podium, Gul adjourned the house.

In the midst of all this, Panthers Party members, led by Harsh Dev Singh, wanted the word 'secular' to be added to the preamble of the state constitution.

Kashmir has its own constitution, which runs concomitantly with the Indian constitution.