Who calls the shots?

Jammu, Mar 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday posed a prickly query to the Police as to how the “situation was conducive for the Leader of Opposition to visit Billawar but edgy for the Deputy Chief Minister to go there to share condolences with the bereaved families.”

He posed this query in the Legislative Assembly after Question Hour, while expressing condolences, on behalf of the entire House as was suggested by CPI-M MLA, to three bereaved families of Billawar.

“I want to share deep condolences on my and on behalf of the entire House, to the families of those three innocent persons killed in Billawar and also to the families of the duo killed in similar circumstances there a few days ago. What happened; how and why it happened – on these aspects, the probe is still on. Therefore, it will not be proper to talk on these issues in the House at this time,” the Chief Minister said.

Referring to the heckling incident related to MLA Bani, Dr Rameshwar Singh, when he was trying to visit Billawar hospital, CM Omar said “MLA (Bani) was trying to go there. What happened there and what did not, is in front of you…on this account also the Police would have to act. Because I don’t think he would have gone there with the intention to do politics.”

He said that the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma too had gone there on the spot (Billawar).

“If my information is correct, LoP Sahib too had gone there. But somewhere, somehow – an attempt is being made to give it (killings) a political colour. I’m astonished by this issue. The reason is that yesterday I spoke to the Deputy Chief Minister, who had planned a day ago to visit there (Billawar). He had intimated the administration about his programme. However, yesterday (Sunday) morning, the number of Fauj (Police personnel) deployed outside his (DyCM’s) residence was increased,” CM Omar shared with the House.

He said the Deputy Chief Minister was told that it would not be apt for him to go there.

“DyCM Sahib spoke to me and asked me what to do. I told him that we’re not irresponsible people. ‘If the administration has these apprehensions that my, your or any other ruling combine member’s visit will vitiate the situation, it’s better not to go there.’ - I told him (DyCM). I suggested that he should speak to IG to check if it’s appropriate for him (DyCM) to be there. If it’s not appropriate, you should not go. Since IGP was busy in connection with the Union Home Secretary’s visit, the DyCM spoke to SSP Kathua,” the Chief Minister said, narrating the developments in a sequential manner.

The Chief Minister informed the House that the SSP Kathua told the DyCM not to visit in the wake of the delicate situation. “SSP Kathua told him (DyCM) that the situation was a bit edgy. He (SSP) asked him (DyCM) to wait for a couple of days and then visit. However, this is beyond my comprehension if the situation is so tense and has deteriorated to the extent that the Deputy Chief Minister cannot go there. Then tell me – how the Leader of Opposition could go there,” CM threw a poser.

Upon this, the Leader of the Opposition rose to counter.

The Chief Minister said, “No. Leave it. LoP Sahib, you cannot give an answer to this query.”

As the uproar on the other (BJP) side continued, Omar reiterated, “I did not ask this question to you (LoP). My question was to those who permitted you but did not allow the DyCM.”

In between MLA Langate, Sheikh Khursheed got engaged in a brawl with the BJP MLAs.

“LoP Sahib, Ya To Iss Naye Nizam Mein Jahan Hum Police Sey Baat Nahin Kar Saktay Shayad Police Ke Spokesperson Aap Ban Gaye Ho House Mein… (Probably in this new governance system where we cannot speak to the Police, you’ve become the spokesperson of the Police in the House…). That I cannot say,” Omar said, taking a direct dig at LoP, who was trying to explain his side.

LoP said that he was not answering on behalf of the Police.

“Then leave it. LoP Sahib, I’ve only explained the reality. DyCM was prohibited, you were allowed. This will have to be answered by the Police and not you. Meanwhile, Tarigami Sahib has very correctly said – as Leader of this House, I want to place on record this House’s concern, not only, over the situation in Kathua but also condemn the killings which took place there and share condolences with the bereaved families,” the Chief Minister said.

All BJP members were up in arms as LoP wanted to explain his side yet could not do so in the din. Many ruling MLAs and independent members were trying to raise their points. In between, MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed tried to enter the well, shouting. He wanted CM to reply on Sopore's killing as well.

As he did not relent and did not take his seat, ignoring the Speaker’s warning, he was marshalled out at 11.30 am. A few ruling combine members tried to speak but the Chair ruled that after the Leader of the House’s statement, there was no scope for them to speak on those issues.

Following it, a couple of ruling combine members also tried to enter the well as they were not allowed to raise their constituency-specific issues. They were also insisting on the CM’s reply however the Chair did not allow them and asked them to take seats.

They kept on agitating on the margins of the well, obstructed by the marshals to enter it. These members also included Mehar Ali and Peerzada Feroz of NC.

They wanted to raise the issue of three Gujjar youth missing for the past about one month and could not be traced so far. The Speaker did not allow them and asked them to take their seats.

While Mehar Ali following the Speaker’s warning returned to his seat, Feroz did not and he was also marshalled out. Din

As the semblance of order was restored in the House, the LoP rose to share his grouse. “I want to register my complaint against the Chair, with due respect. For the past few days, the way the proceedings have been conducted is objectionable. We follow discipline as we belong to a party, the example of which is given for its discipline,” LoP said, triggering uproar from the ruling benches.

However, addressing the Chair, Sunil Sharma said, “You need to rein in these couple of new MLAs elected as independents. Yeh Sarkar Ke Pithoo Hain. They are being used by the ruling combine to create hullabaloo deliberately. You need to run the proceedings without bias. What is our fault? You don’t like our faces. So far 90 percent of questions (raised during the session) have been those of treasury benches. You don’t allow the opposition to speak.”

“I only wanted to raise one point. Today’s Omar Abdullah Sahib’s birthday. I wanted to wish him and you (Speaker) very rudely asked me to sit down. You are behaving in such a manner with the LoP, representing the biggest party in the world. You need to respect it. After the ruling party, we have the maximum number of MLAs. I thought to greet him (CM), but you did not allow me. This is not done. You need to respect our sentiments too,” LoP aired his grievance.

Coming back to Billawar's visit, he said that he along with other BJP leaders had gone there to share the grief of bereaved families and express condolences. “We had no intention to do politics. For doing politics, we have a platform. On that (political) front, we have already scaled heights not just in J&K but across the country. The whole world admires us for that. We don’t need anyone’s certificate for that,” he said.

Sunil Sharma said he had spoken to the Union Home Minister thrice over the Billawar issue.

“I’ve spoken to the Home Minister today. Yesterday and the day before, I also spoke to him. Just for information for this House, I spoke to him (HM) before coming to the House today. HM said that he had sent the Union Home Secretary and DIB to seek a detailed report and investigation into all such incidents. He assured that as per the outcome of the report, accordingly, strict action would be taken. We had gone there to convey this message and assurance to the bereaved families. I don’t want to do politics,” he said.

Upon his statement, Congress’ MLA G A Mir said that the Chief Minister’s question was plain. “This explanation was not sought from the LoP. The Chief Minister only wanted to know which was the prerogative that the Deputy Chief Minister was not allowed but the LoP was permitted. He did not answer that,” Mir commented. The Speaker said that the Chief Minister had raised this query to the Police and not the LoP.

Earlier, as the Chief Minister finished his statement on the Gulmarg fashion show controversy, the CPI-M MLA, M Y Tarigami suggested that as the Leader of the House, he (CM Omar) should express concern over the Kathua (Billawar) incident, where three persons were killed, on behalf of all the MLAs.

Prior to the CM’s statement, Nizamuddin Bhat of Congress again tried to implore Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to allow his adjournment motion regarding the Billawar killings, already rejected by the latter (Speaker).

“My adjournment motion does not come under the purview of those rules (Rule 32 and 59) quoted by you (Speaker to reject motions). I had asked for a discussion on safeguards, relief and legal mandates for the victims. I did not bring Home (department). Like Tarigami Sahib, I said that we should express solidarity with the Billawar victims,” he said.

However, the Speaker said that he had disallowed them and they (motions) would not be allowed.