The Legislative Assembly on Saturday witnessed uproarious scenes over the casualties in cross-border firing in Jammu region, with the opposition training guns on the ruling BJP for “failing” to protect the lives of civilians in the border areas of state.
As soon as proceedings of the House began this morning, all the opposition members stood up and protested against the deaths. “Our people are dying on the LoC and IB.
What are you doing to protect their lives?” NC’s Javed Rana asked the treasury benches.
Nine persons including four soldiers have been killed in the cross-border firing on the International Border and LoC in Jammu region since Wednesday.
Amid protests by the opposition, the BJP members also stood up and resorted to anti- Pakistan sloganeering in the House. “Pakistan Murdabad, Pakistan Hai Hai,” they shouted.
Countering the right-wing party MLAs, the opposition legislators accused them of indulging in theatrics to hide their failures. “Where is your 56-inch chest? Your 56-inch chest has got reduced to six inches,” they sarcastically remarked in apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When Speaker Kavinder Gupta allowed BJP president Sat Sharma to speak, the opposition members objected to it.” You should first allow us to speak,” they demanded.
Amid commotion, NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar drew attention of the chair towards the statement of the union minister Jitendra Singh in which he had accused the “opposition” of speaking on behalf of Pakistan.
Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had yesterday said, “Kashmir-centric Pakistan apologists owe an explanation to the nation and that there can be no pardon for them when they continue to shamelessly speak on behalf of Pakistan even on the day when the heavy civilian casualties have been inflicted on the borders by unprovoked Pakistani firing.”
Sagar said the government did not make a statement on the situation in the House yesterday. “We raised the issue thrice but you did not make any statement,” he said.
In the meantime, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the House that government will make a statement on the situation after the question hour.
Unsatisfied with the minister’s reply, the opposition staged a walkout to protest against the government’s failure to protect the lives of civilians in border shelling.
Later speaking in the House, Veeri said there is a need to start the process of reconciliation between India and Pakistan for peace to prevail on borders.
NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar said dialogue is the only way to ease tension between India and Pakistan.
He said those opposing dialogue are the enemies of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Making a statement in the House, Minister for Health Bali Baghat said nine persons including two Army personnel and two BSF men were killed in cross-border shelling over the past three days.
Congress MLA Nawang Rigzin Jora targeted the BJP for its “ambiguous” Pakistan policy. “Your Foreign Minister talked about humiliation of Kulbushan Jhadav’s family in Pakistan but at the same time your National Security Advisor met his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok,” he said.