Speaker acting as agent of NC: Kavinder Gupta
Gupta, expressing disappointment over the speaker’s inaction, accused him of failing to take action against the manhandling of party MLAs in the House
Following the manhandling of BJP MLAs in the J&K assembly on Thursday on the recent J&K government’s resolution seeking restoration of Article 370, senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta on Thursday called the speaker of the J&K legislative assembly Abdul Rahim Rather an “agent of the National Conference”.
Gupta, expressing disappointment over the speaker’s inaction, accused him of failing to take action against the manhandling of party MLAs in the House. “The Speaker’s indifference reflects poorly on the Assembly’s commitment to democratic values,” he said.
He also condemned chief minister Omar Abdullah for his silence on the matter, criticising his failure to intervene at a time when the sanctity of the assembly should be paramount. “The CM’s failure to step in has emboldened disruptive elements, making it clear that he prioritizes political convenience over democratic principles,” he said.
BJP claimed that six of its legislators were injured during the pandemonium in legislative assembly. “The incident is a shameful blot on democratic proceedings,” said Gupta.
The senior BJP leader accused the National Conference (NC) of intentionally provoking disruptions under the pretext of defending Article 370, aiming to shift attention away from real issues plaguing the public.
He urged the speaker to uphold the dignity of the assembly and demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident, ensuring accountability for those who violated the assembly’s decorum. He also appealed to CM Omar to rise above partisan politics and to act responsibly in maintaining the state’s democratic standards.
“NC and other parties of Kashmir want to vitiate the atmosphere of Jammu and Kashmir. What is ironical is the fact that speaker of the House is acting as an agent of the National Conference,” he said.
“The MLAs were peacefully raising slogans demanding withdrawal of resolution seeking restoration of Article 370. It is the job of the opposition to raise its voice when government does anything wrong,” he said.
“No special status will be given and it will never happen, Article 370 has become history. In 1953 JL Nehru and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah committed blunders for which the latter had been jailed for 18 years. They want to create similar situation. If they tried to do something like this, history will repeat itself,” he warned.
NC suppressing Opposition to hide its failure in fulfilling promises: Yudhvir
MLA Jammu east constituency Yudhvir Sethi strongly condemned the National Conference (NC) for its attempt to suppress the voice of Jammu region in the legislative assembly by forcibly throwing Opposition members out of the house and stifling their voice.
He expressed deep disappointment with NC’s tactics, stating that such undemocratic actions expose the NC’s attempt to evade accountability for the unfulfilled promises made during the election campaign.
Sethi lambasted the NC, accusing it of deliberate diversionary tactics to conceal its failure to deliver on its commitments to the people.
He further criticised the NC for indulging in outdated and irrelevant issues, saying, “The NC is raising dead issues, trying to revive obsolete matters like the restoration of Article 370, while failing to address the pressing concerns of the people.”
“Instead of working on the promises made during the elections, such as creating jobs, providing financial assistance to women and eradicating corruption, they are playing petty political games that only serve to divide and confuse the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
“The people are watching, and they deserve better than empty promises and evasive maneuvers,” he said.
He also called Article 370 a “closed chapter”, saying “no amount of political theatrics can undo the progress we are making for a united and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.”