Uproar, verbal duel in J&K Assembly over fund distribution

Jammu, March 20: Amidst ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over distribution of funds by the previous government, three legislators virtually came to blows when independent MLA Engineer Rashid used an "objectionable" word against National Conference.

During the question hour in the Assembly, Rashid while raising a supplementary question on details of funds released by the Road and Building Department under various heads in the state during the NC-Congress government tenure, took a dig at the NC.

"We want to know where the funds have gone, they (National Conference) distributed funds only in their own constituencies as if the funds belonged to their..." Rashid said.

Opposition NC members including Devender Singh Rana, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Mohammed Akbar Lone and Ali Mohammed Sagar strongly objected to the "unparliamentary" language used by Rashid.

Lone and Gurezi entered into a verbal duel with Rashid but were later pacified after the Speaker intervened.

Meanwhile, NC MLA Devender Singh Rana demanded that the Speaker expunge the "derogatory remarks" made by Rashid, to which the Speaker agreed.

As soon as Rashid began to speak and reiterated that he "stands by his words", Gurezi charged towards him, screaming at him to "control his language, behave like an MLA."

As Gurezi charged towards Rashid along with Lone, the marshals in the House had to intervene.

Amid high pitched noisy scenes, heated exchange of words continued between the two sides for some time and the order in the House was only restored after Speaker Kavinder Gupta intervened.

"Behave properly. I expunge these words. Don't speak such

words in the furture, I warn you. NC members should not rush like this to attack a member. Please maintain the decorum of the house," the Speaker said.

Later, Minister for Road and Building Altaf Ahmed Bukari while replying to the question raised by Rashid said that the government would ensure that justice is delivered to all the three regions of the state.

"Justice will be done with all the three regions of the state and there will be equal distribution of funds," he said.

Earlier, while replying to a question raised by NC MLA from Mendhar Javed Ahmed Rana on whether the government was planning to accord district status to Mendhar tehsil, Minister for Revenue Javid Mustafa Mir said, "No, there is no such proposal under consideration as of now regarding creation of any new district for want of administrative viability/ feasibility."

"The committees constituted from time to time to look into demands for creation of new administrative units were not mandated to recommend any new district," he said.

PTI