The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges and sloganeering on Tuesday, the second day of its autumn session, after National Conference MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi demanded a holiday on the birth anniversary of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
Raising the issue in the House, Larmi pointed out that September 23 is observed as a holiday to mark the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh. He urged the government to declare a holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary as well.
Larmi further said that if the government was not ready to grant a holiday for Sheikh Abdullah, the existing holiday marking Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary should be withdrawn.
His remarks drew strong objections from BJP legislators. BJP members rose from their seats, protested the demand and raised slogans in support of Maharaja Hari Singh. They termed the proposal to withdraw the existing holiday as “illegitimate” and questioned why it should be cancelled.
The exchanges soon escalated into disorder, disrupting proceedings in the House. The confrontation reflected the continuing political differences between the ruling National Conference and the opposition BJP over the legacies of Sheikh Abdullah and Maharaja Hari Singh.
The Speaker said that a notice to the government was required to raise the issue. Following this, BJP legislators staged a walkout from the Assembly, accusing Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather of bias.
As per the provisional session calendar, the Assembly will not sit on September 23 on account of Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary. The 10-day autumn session, which began on September 21, comprises seven actual sittings.
The House had also witnessed noisy scenes and protests on the opening day, when BJP legislators raised issues including unemployment, electricity, daily-wage workers and governance. Members of the ruling alliance, meanwhile, reiterated the demand for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
