NC, Cong MLAs disrupt Governor's address, stage walkout

Opposition National Conference and Congress today disrupted the Governor's address to the Jammu and Kashmir legislature protesting against AFSPA, "shortage of ration", among others, and staged a walkout.
As soon as Governor N N Vohra rose to address the members of the Assembly and Legislative Council, National Conference and Congress MLAs took to their feet.
The National Conference members started shouting slogans demanding revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) imposed in the state.
They also demanded "adequate" supply of foodgrains to the people of the state and dismissal of Forest Minister Lal Singh for allegedly making threatening remarks against Gujjars in Jammu region last week.

The NC members shouted slogans like 'AFSPA ko wapas karo' (revoke AFSPA), 'Bhashan nahi ration chahiyay' (we do not need speeches, give ration) and 'Lal Singh ko barkhast karo' (dismiss Lal Singh).
The Congress members alleged that the PDP-BJP coalition government has failed on issues like implementation of National Food Security Act and regularisation of daily wage workers in various government departments.

Members of both the opposition parties later walked out from the hall even as the Governor refused to pay heed to the protest and continued his address.
However, Independent MLA from Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who had joined the opposition protest, remained in the House and continued to shout slogans during Vohra's speech.

Rashid, carrying a banner, was seeking to know the fate of the time-bound magisterial inquiry into the killing of youths in Handwara allegedly by the army on April 12 following alleged molestation of a girl by a jawan.
"We want to know what happened to the inquiry into Handwara killings," Rashid said.
As Vohra was reading out various schemes and welfare measures to be implemented by the state government, Rashid said, "You (Governor) do not represent us. You are a non-state subject. We are supposed to have an elected Sadr-e-Riyasat (president of the state)...You represent Delhi."
The controversial MLA also told the Governor that he was "made to lie" by the government.

"Not even one per cent of what you have been made to say (in the joint address) is true," he added.
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Reacting to the development, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said it would have been better if the opposition had first heard the Governor's address.
"If the opposition is trying to raise issues they think are of public interest, it is welcome.
"But it would have been better if they had heard the address of the Governor and then made their point. That would have been more democratic," Akhtar told reporters.
On the alleged remarks made by Lal Singh, Akhtar said the minister has denied the remarks.

"Lal Singh has contradicted it and said he never made those remarks. And he has also very significantly said that even if this avoidable controversy has caused some hurt, he apologises for that. It should rest at that," he added.
On the strike called by separatists tomorrow, Akhtar said it was not for the first time a bandh has been called in Kashmir.
"We have been living with this. We hope the people who are the ultimate arbiters, will see through this that certain people want to rake up issues that don't exist. Just perhaps to subvert the feeling of positivity that has come back to Kashmir.

"Some economic activity has revived, tourism is seeing a boom. I think some people don't like that," he said.