Stormy start to Jammu and Kashmir budget session

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly's budget session began on Thursday on a stormy note as independent member Abdul Rashid Engineer raised the issue of Afzal Guru's hanging during the governor's address.

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly's budget session began on Thursday on a stormy note as independent member Abdul Rashid Engineer raised the issue of Afzal Guru's hanging during the governor's address.

HT Image

Engineer got up as soon as governor NN Vohra began his address to the joint session of the legislature.

As Engineer was forced out of the house by marshals, Bhartiya Janata Party members rose to protest the lack of security to panchayat members in the state.

They raised slogans demanding protective cover for panchayat members, particularly in the Kashmir Valley.

Five sarpanchs have been killed in the valley in six months. Six resigned from their posts two days ago.

The main opposition People's Democratic Party stayed away from the governor's address to denounce what it said was the government's failure "on all counts".