Jammu, Mar 2: Day after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, alleged that Speaker of the Assembly, Muhammad Akbar Lone, was behaving like a “dictator”, the Speaker Wednesday said that he was impartial and unbiased.
 Talking to a local news gathering agency, Lone termed PDP’s behaviour as ‘unfortunate.’
 “I won’t allow anybody to disrupt the proceedings of the Assembly as vital public issues are to be discussed. When I’m on chair I don’t belong to any party. But it is my duty to conduct smooth operation of Question Hour.”
 Asked why he didn’t pay any heed to PDP’s adjournment motion on Tuesday, Lone said, “The motion was incomplete and the date mentioned in it was Feb 1 instead of Mar 1.”
 He criticized PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s approach in the Assembly. “He (Mufti) calls himself a statesman, but he was guiding his MLAs in the Assembly how to create trouble. It is unfortunate.”
 He said the people would decide whether his style function was right or wrong. “Let people decide whether I’m impartial or not. For me people’s issues are of prime concern” he asserted.
 He said it was unanimously decided in the meeting of Business Advisory Committee to allow Question Hour without any disruption. “I assure every legislator of full opportunity to raise issues as per norms,” he said and added that this needs to be done in a disciplined manner in observance of norms of parliamentary democracy.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST