Srinagar, Sep 28: Independent MLA, Engineer Rashid who had moved the mercy resolution for Afzal Guru said the “entire drama to sabotage the proceedings was enacted at the behest of the New Delhi” and all parties here “played their assigned role in it.”

RASHID CRIES FOUL:
 “They (NC, PDP, Congress and BJP) had received directions from New Delhi not to allow debate on the resolution,” alleged Rashid, talking to reporters outside Assembly. “I am warning government of India that they are digging their own graves by such acts,” he said.
 While Congress was yet to open its cards on the stand to be taken by the party MLAs on the resolution, National Conference had asked its legislators to go “according to their conscience”. Opposition PDP, on the other hand, had decided to support it. BJP and NPP were opposing the resolution.
 Responding to a question, Rashid said the parties had no courage to stand for the resolution. “Their conscience is dead. They talk of resolving Kashmir issue, they have no courage to pass a single resolution for saving life of a Kashmiri,” he said.
 He alleged that PDP and NC were party to the “drama enacted in the Assembly today”. They did not speak a word during entire proceedings. National Conferences’ role was defined by the bosses from New Delhi,” he alleged.

PDP DEFENDS ITS STAND
 Opposition PDP accused the Congress and BJP of being “direct actors in the drama” while “National Conference played the role of side actor.”
 Asked why the party remained silent during the proceedings, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said her party MLAs intervened, the Speaker would have blamed them for forcing to adjournment of the House.
 “The NC, Congress and all others in the House were acting in cohesion,” she said.
 She alleged that the whole drama was started by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who first twitted on the issue.
 “They (NC) have this habit of putting the state on fire and then running away from the scene. Where is the chief minister now? Why is he silent,” she asked.

WE DID NOT SABOTAGE IT: CONGRESS
 The Congress members said they were only demanding action against the corrupt BJP legislators.
 Talking to reporters outside Assembly, Congress leaders, GM Saroori and Viqar Rasool said seven BJP members were disqualified by the party on corruption charges.
 “We were demanding that their names should be made public and they should be disqualified from the House,” they said.
 However the Congress legislators had no direct answers when asked why the party did not raise the issue during the past two days of the proceedings.

WE HAD NO ROLE: NC
 Senior National Conference legislator, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzaan, blamed Congress and BJP for the events that unfolded in the Assembly today.
 “We could not have done anything to prevent it. BJP and Congress have some issues and they are trying to score points over each other,” he said.
 He said National Conference was ready to cooperate to ensure smooth functioning of the House.

NPP TARGETS CONGRESS
 NPP legislator, Harshdev Singh accused Congress of resorting to evasive tactics on Guru resolution. He demanded the Congress to clear their stand on the resolution.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST