UPROAR OVER CIVILIAN KILLINGS, OPPN WALKS OUT

JAMMU:THE J&K legislative assembly on Wednesday witnessed chaos as opposition members, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah, raised the issues of the killings of civilians in the restive state and walked out of the House twice.

National Conference legislator Abdul Majeed Larmi raised the issue soon as the House assembled for the day’s business. A 22-year-old man was killed and another injured after a mob turned violent in Kulgam on Tuesday.

Waving a banner “Stop Innocent Killings” at Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Larmi sought a debate and the response of the government. He was supported by the opposition, including Congress.

Larmi said that the opposition had moved an adjournment motion over the same issue on January 3 but the speaker did not allow it.

NC MLA Devender Singh Rana along with other opposition legislators stormed the well and staged vociferous protests.

The members of the opposition staged a walkout after half an hour of the commotion. And when they returned after 10 minutes, Larmi again walked into the well with the same banner and was joined by Rana and other opposition members.

Beerwah MLA Omar Abdullah said though reports of grief expressed by the CM appear in newspapers, it would have been apt had Mehbooba spared some time and said a word or two about the killings. “Now, don’t expect us to hear her speech. We won’t allow her. I won’t be here. She did wrong,” Abdullah said before staging a second walkout.

The entire opposition followed him. Similar noisy scenes were witnessed in legislative council over civilian killings where opposition also staged a walk out.

PROTESTS OVER REMARKS ON AZAD

The opposition staged walkout from the upper house of the state assembly on Wednesday over remarks made by BJP legislator Girdhari Lal Raina on former J&K CM Ghulam Nabi Azad.