NDA objects to Geelani's anti-national speech

New Delhi, Apr 26: The entire Opposition led by the BJP today walked out of the Lok Sabha when the Government rejected their demand for an immediate response to their objection to Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's recent anti-national speeches at a public meeting in Srinagar.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister and Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, however, assured that he had noted the concern expressed by the members and would make a statement in the House.

The issue was raised by BJP's deputy leader in the House Vijay Kumar Malhotra who pointed out that at the meeting Lashkar-e-Toiba and Pakistani flags were hoisted and the state Government did not take any action against Mr Geelani for making anti-national speech.

Mr Malhotra wondered if Srinagar was part of India or Pakistan that the state government allowed anti-national slogans to be raised by the speakers at the meeting for which even no formal permission was granted.

He said it was a matter of serious concern as on one hand demilitarisation of the region was taking place and on the other people belonging to a particular community were being massacred in many parts of the state.

Mr Malhotra also wanted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh take the House into confidence what about the talks with Pakistan and demanded that Mr Singh make a statement in the House.

Mr Malhotra was supported by Mr Prabhunath Singh (JD-U), and even CPI leader Gurudas Gupta who described the breakaway Hurriyat leader's speech as "dangerous and outrageous" for the country as it had hurt the sentiments of the nation. He, however, said the Government should continue its effort to normalise relations with the neighbouring country without getting "distracted" by such anti-national elements.

Mr Prabhunath Singh asked the Government why the Centre and the State Government had not taken the issue seriously and wanted to know that under what section of the criminal law 10 people had been arrested in the matter. He also sought that the Government respond to it immediately.

UNI