Enough is enough: Speaker tells protesting BJP legislators

Srinagar, Nov 6: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather lost his cool after he was forced to repeatedly adjourn the house by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators over passing a resolution which sought restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after passing the resolution, the BJP legislators led by the Leader of the Opposition raised slogans against the speaker, ‘Go Back, Go Back; Speaker Go Back’ and did not allow him to run the business.

As the ruckus continued in the house, the Speaker urged the protesting legislators to remain seated, who had stormed into the well of the house.

“Please take your seats and we will discuss LG’s address and pay gratitude to him,” the Speaker asked the BJP legislators.

However, his attempts did not pacify the situation.

Amid the din and sloganeering, the Speaker asked the legislators, “Enough is enough. Go back to your seats.”

As the repeated attempts of the Speaker failed to get the session resumed, the house was adjourned twice and later adjourned till the next morning.

The house witnessed unruly scenes as the BJP legislators occupied the table of the Secretary Assembly set up in the well of the house.

They made an attempt to move closer to the Speaker and raised slogans against him, ‘Speaker Hai, Hai.’

The Speaker responded asking saying, “Get a no-confidence motion against me if you do not want me to continue.”

He asked the BJP members to stop shouting as it would harm their throats.

“Your throats will get affected. Don’t shout,” the Speaker said.

Later, the Speaker adjourned the house.

Later, talking to reporters, the Speaker while responding to the demand of the BJP legislators of him tendering an apology, said the role of the Speaker was to preside over the house.

“What for do I have to tender an apology? They should know that the role of the Speaker is to preside over the house and whatever is passed in the house, the Speaker has no role in it,” he said.

The Speaker said that any motion or resolution was passed after counting the number of members supporting it.

“I followed the same procedure and passed the resolution. Majority of the members were in favour of the resolution,” he said.

The Speaker said that the business of the remaining days was important as the members had to pay gratitude to the Governor for addressing the house.

“If BJP members won’t allow me to run the business, I won’t act as a spectator. We have rules for that,” he said.