J&K Assembly adjourned till tomorrow without any business

Srinagar, Aug 22 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was today adjourned for the full day without any business after witnessing noisy scenes and uproar.

This was for the third day in succession that the House could not do any business because of protests and counter protests by treasury and opposition members.

As the House assembled again at 1205 hours after about one hour's adjournment, the main opposition National Conference (NC) and Panthers Party (PP) members were on their feet, demanding revocation of suspension of PP legislator Harshdev Singh.

Mr Singh was physically evicted from the Assembly yesterday after being suspended for the rest of the ongoing session for threatening to ''murder'' Rural Development Minister Jugal Kishore (Congress).

The three remaining members of the PP stormed into the well of the House, seeking to know from the chair under which rule Mr Singh had been suspended.

The NC members remained seated for about ten minutes following an assurance by Speaker Tara Chand that the notice given by Leader of the Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather on the suspension issue was under his active consideration.

However, when the Speaker called Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Hamid Karra to speak, the PP members keep shouting in the well of the House. Later, all the three PP members were evicted from the House on the orders of the Speaker.

The NC members were again on their feet when Mr Karra alleged that the party had failed to play an active role as the main opposition in the state Assembly.

Mr Karra's remark that Mr Rather had failed to control his party legislators prompted some of the NC members to storm into the well of the House.

Despite slogan shouting by NC members, Mr Karra continued with his speech, alleging that the main opposition was responsible for frequent adjournments of the Lower House.

Soon after the Minister completed his speech, Mr Rather remarked that ''Mr Karra has turned mad''. Some NC members also said that he should be admitted to a mental hospital.

On this, the Treasury bench protested and nothing was heard in the din. The Speaker later adjourned the House for the day to meet again tomorrow morning.

As soon as the Assembly X X X Eds here picking up from para two of DR 12 (ASSEMBLY-KASHMIR-ADJOURNED).

UNI