Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday witnessed ruckus after the ruling BJP and PDP members slammed National Conference member Javed Rana for accusing Speaker Kavinder Gupta of being "biased" and demanded action against him.
The BJP-PDP legislators protested against the remarks of Rana, who had reportedly used the term 'Hindu' Speaker against Gupta on Tuesday during the second sitting of the session.
As soon as proceedings for the day started, the BJP members resenting against Rana's remarks, trooped into the well of the House. The BJP members demanded expulsion of Rana for accusing speaker of working on religious lines.
"I have not used this remark. Since I was not allowed to speak by the speaker, I had said he is using Hindutava agenda on the directions of Nagpur, which will not to be allowed," Rana told reporters.
The issue was again raised later in the day, when Rana again protested for not being given enough time to speak.
"You have accused me of being biased and said you are a Hindu. I have given more than the allotted time to the opposition. But, even then NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mohammad Akbar Lone have also questioned my integrity and accused me of being bias. Such words would never be accepted and if it is repeated, action would be taken," said the speaker.
{{/usCountry}}"You have accused me of being biased and said you are a Hindu. I have given more than the allotted time to the opposition. But, even then NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mohammad Akbar Lone have also questioned my integrity and accused me of being bias. Such words would never be accepted and if it is repeated, action would be taken," said the speaker.
{{/usCountry}}PDP chief spokesperson and minister Nayeem Akhtar said such remarks are highly objectionable and the member and the NC should public apologise for it.
BJP member Sat Sharma while condemning the NC member for casting aspersions on speaker and questioning his integrity demanded Rana's expulsion. The PDP members also condemned Rana for damaging the esteem of the House.
To pacify the agitating members, the speaker said, "The allegations of bias towards treasury benches are not true. I gave more than the allotted time to opposition members to speak on the budget."
CPI(M) member MY Tarigami said, "These remarks made by the NC member should be expunged from the proceedings. In the heat of the arguments these should not have come out. You cannot make comments based on community/religion."
Congress legislative party (CLP) leader Nawang Rigzin Jora said, "If such comments were made by the member, he should be sorry for that."