We will not allow assembly to function, call back our member, NC

Srinagar, Aug 3 (UNI) The National Conference (NC), the main opposition party in Jammu and Kashmir today warned that they will not allow the functioning of the Legislative Assembly until the suspension of its member was not revoked.

''We will continue with our protest as the suspension of Mr Sharief- Uddin- Shariq is agaist the rules,'' Leader of the Opposition in the House Abdul Rahim Rather told reporters after the Speaker adjourned the House for the day without taking any business today.

Mr Shariq, who was suspended for two days from the House beginning yesterday, was sitting on a dharna outside the main gate of the Legislative complex.

''I was punished for speaking the truth and I will continue to speak the truth in the future and raise the concerns of the people in the house,'' he said.

Mr Rather said the resolution to suspend Mr Shariq was adopted by the House when he was not in the House.

''We all were sitting outside when the resolution was moved and passed,'' he said adding it was against the rules.

Mr Rather, one of the senior most members in the house, said that as per rule 411, it was necessary for the Speaker to name Mr Shariq if he was disrupting the proceedings of the House. Later, the Speaker could have warned him before suspending him, he said adding nothing such happened in the House before.

''Infact, the Speaker should have taken action against the members of the treasury benches who stormed into the well of the house and disrupted the proceedings when the House assembled after 10 minutes adjornment yesterday.'' In reply to a question, he said not a single member of the NC, including Mr Shariq was present in the house when members from the treasury benches were protesting in the well of the house.

He said the government is not serious in the legislative business and wanted to save itself from discussions on several issues concering the people.

Mr Shariq was suspended for two days from the house after there were some heated discussions between the members of opposition and treasury bench yesterday.

The members from the treasury bench demanded suspension of Mr Sharief-ud-Din Shariq for using 'unparliamentary' language.

The Deputy Chief Minister proposed suspension of Shariq from the House for the rest of the session, which was seconded by a number of members from the treasury bench.

Putting the resolution to vote and receiving the nod from all the members present in the House, the Speaker suspended Mr Shariq for the next two days of the session.

UNI BAS PB RS1407