NC members walkout over rise in crime against women in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 30 (UNI) The main opposition National Conference (NC) members today staged a walk-out in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the rise in crime against women in the valley in the recent past.

As soon as the House assembled at 1000 hrs for the Question Hour, the NC members were on their feet, pointing towards the treasury benches which were vacant.

The NC legislators demanded that the ruling party members be asked to remain present in the House during proceedings.

Deputy Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone, who was in the chair, told the House that all Ministers were engaged in a crucial meeting and thus, could not attend the proceedings.

He assured the agitated NC members that Ministers and other ruling party members would attend the proceedings in ten minutes.

The NC members then drew the attention of the chair to the rape and murder of a ten-year-old girl, Sabreena Fayaz, at Ikhrajpora here on August 24.

The opposition members demanded a statement from the government on the rise in crime against women in Kashmir in the recent past.

Senior NC member Ali Mohammad Sagar said the government should come out with a statement on the Sabreena issue. ''It is a shame on the government that the culprits are still at large,'' he said.

The NC members then resorted to a walk-out from shouting slogans: ''Sabreena ke qatilon ko pesh karo (present the killers of Sabreena) and apne zameer ko jagao (wake up your conscience).'' The Deputy Speaker later asked the government to make a statement on the issue in the House after the Question Hour.

However, when Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Taj Mohuiddin rose to make a statement on the issue after the zero hour, Mr Lone asked him to do so after the lunch break.

Earlier in the zero hour, Leader of the Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather termed as ''unfortunate and criminal'' the government's silence over the issue of recent spurt in crime against women.

''Everyday there are protests in Kashmir. Women are feeling insecure. The government is bound to provide protection to its people. We want to know what action the government has taken in the case of rape and murder of Sabreena and another 10-year-old girl Tabinda Jan of Langait?'' he asked.

Mr Rather said the guilty have not been punished so far. The culprits in Tabinda Jan case have been identified and arrested, but they have not been chargesheeted in the court of law, he added.

Mr Rather said in the case of Sabreena Fayaz, the guilty were yet to be identified. The government should take stern action against the culprits and urge the judiciary to conduct trial in such cases on day-to-day basis, he added.

On this, Health Minister Mangat Ram Sharma assured that the culprits would soon be identified and severely punished.

UNI