Jammu, Mar 8: Irked over persistent disruption by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Saturday alleged that he was “resorting to such acts under a tacit understanding with the National Conference members”, triggering a verbal duel.
BJP members even accused the chair of “deliberating allowing AAP MLA to interrupt” during their address.
Uproar erupted when BJP MLA Sunil Bhardwaj was speaking during general discussion on the budget in the Legislative Assembly.
As Bhardwaj was picking holes in the budget speech of the Chief Minister, who also holds the charge of the Finance Minister, AAP MLA started interrupting him while aiming barbs at BJP.
Initially, few BJP MLAs objected to it mildly. In between, AAP MLA Mehraj Malik went to the first desk where he remained engaged in some consultations for a while with the National Conference members.
Taking note of this, BJP members, including Sham Lal Sharma, Balwant Singh Mankotia and R S Pathania rose to register protest with the Chair, through a point of order.
That time, NC Chief Whip Mubrak Gul was in the chair.
BJP members alleged that he (Malik) was getting instructions from there (NC desks) to interrupt them.
AAP MLA, though after instructions from the chair, returned to his seat yet locked horns with the BJP legislators. By then, all BJP members were up in arms against him.
In heated exchange of words, AAP MLA used certain words which were strongly objected by the BJP MLAs. A few NC MLAs were also participating in the verbal duel off and then.
Objecting to Malik’s tone and tenor, Sham Sharma, in particular, complained to the Chair that he (Malik) was not behaving. This also led to a direct altercation between Sham and Malik.
In between, NC MLA Altaf Kaloo brought to the note of the Chair the use of some unparliamentary expressions, with the request to expunge them.
Gul said that he would examine records and would expunge them. As BJP members continued to create an uproar, Gul gave a ruling that he had expunged expressions used from both sides.
As Bhardwaj resumed his address, AAP MLA again interjected, ignoring the Chair’s directions to sit down and not to disrupt.
During his address, Bhardwaj appreciated the Gujarat model while comparing it with the rule of previous regimes in J&K.
Upon this, Dr Shafi Wani of NC rose and angrily remarked, “We are far better than the so-called Gujarat model.” He was countered by BJP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia.
This triggered another verbal duel as both Mankotia and Wani were joined by their respective party colleagues.
“Why are interrupting our member? Why are you responding? Chief Minister will respond. This is debate,” Mankotia said.
All BJP members were again up. All this while, AAP MLA too continued to shout. There was hardly audible in the din.
During this time, the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said that the debate was going on and all the members had a democratic right to share their opinions. “At this time, new members need to behave,” Sharma said.
As AAP MLA did not relent and continued to interrupt him as well, Sharma addressing the chair, said, “You (Chair) have every right to restore the order and decorum in the House. Probably it suits you (Chair) that is why he (Malik) is allowed to disrupt BJP MLAs.”
Gul, however, dismissed the charge, saying, “We don’t allow. I had expressed indignation over similar behaviour of another member yesterday.”
As the order was restored in the House, while participating in the debate, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi of NC aimed barbs at the BJP, saying, “I have seen this species for the first time the members of which say they don’t want road, water, power or state. Why don’t you understand that statehood would serve the purpose of all.”
In the same flow, he said something, to which BJP MLA Sham Sharma objected. “Speaker Sir, decode his words. They should be expunged,” Sham said.
As Gurezi denied, Gul assured Sham, “I’ll check records. If he has said so, I’ll expunge.”
Upon this, Gurezi remarked, “I did not say this. How can I say this? Main Hindustani Hoon. Mujh Se Bada Koi Hindustani Nahin Ho Sakta. Hum Border Pe Rehne Wale Log Hain… (I’m an Indian. No one can be a bigger Indian than me as we are the people who live along its borders).”
