The opposition parties on Tuesday staged walkout in the Legislative Assembly to protest over, what they termed, harassment of people in Kashmir before January 26 and government’s failure to protect the lives of people living in border areas of J&K.
As soon as proceedings of the Assembly began this morning, the opposition NC slammed the government for “turning Kashmir into a prison” on the eve of January 26.
“The entire Kashmir valley has been turned into a jail. People are being harassed and are not allowed to venture out of their homes,” NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar said.
He also came down heavily on government for using force on the students protesting in Kashmir Valley.
Sagar said there is a difference in the stand of two coalition partners. “On one hand, BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma had recently said that Rs 450 crore was allotted by the Centre for construction of bunkers for border people, but on the other Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said they do not need bunkers and the need is to improve Indo-Pak relations to end ceasefire violations,” he said, asking the government to clarify its stand on the matter.
The Congress MLAs also protested against the government for acting as mute spectator to the deaths of civilians in cross-border shelling.
Amid commotion in the House, BJP legislators also stood up and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans. “Pakistan Murdabad, Pakistan Murdabad,” the BJP legislators shouted and urged the House to pass a resolution to condemn Pakistan.
NC’s Mian Altaf suggested to the House to form a MLAs’ group to visit border areas to take stock of the situation.
Later, the opposition legislators staged walkout from the House.