Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir assembly over beef ban, flood relief

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was adjourned for one hour on Monday amid protests by the Congress and National Conference (NC) over the issue of beef ban and rehabilitation of flood victims. The MLAs were seen holding placards, which read “Stop exploiting flood victims” while storming the well, climbing tables and clashing with marshals in the Assembly, leaving a lawmaker and a security staff injured. National Conference (NC) raised the issue of beef ban in both the legislative assembly and the legislative council with its leader Omar Abdullah questioning why the PDP-BJP Government approached the Supreme Court when the legislature is “free” to scrap the 1932 provision in the Ranbir Penal Code prohibiting cow slaughter. The NC and Congress members were joined by independent MLAs Shiekh Abdul Rashid and Hakim Mohammad Yasin in theprotest. The opposition MLAs tore papers as they raised slogans against the PDP-BJP coalition government. The state government has approached the Supreme Court after the Srinagar and Jammu wings of the High Court gave conflicting orders pertaining to the beef ban law.