The session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today was filled with heated debates on several controversial issues, allegations of regional inequality and government accountability. In the day-long proceedings, the government rejected two private bills. Of these, one private bill was related to legalizing illegal constructions on government land and the other was related to the appointment of Lokayukta. Apart from this, BJP and PDP MLAs created a ruckus demanding discussion on discrimination in the education department, disparity in social category certificates and recent floods.
Let us tell you that the bill introduced by PDP MLA from Pulwama Waheed Para, which talked about giving ownership rights to houses built on government and shared lands, was rejected by the House by voice vote. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that “such a bill will open the way for land grabbing”. He said that relief is already being given to the landless under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
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Additionally, CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami introduced a private bill to appoint a Lokayukta to investigate corruption allegations, but the Chief Minister clarified that “the Union Territory does not have such a constitutional right.” Abdullah said that such an arrangement would be possible when statehood is restored.
Meanwhile, through another question, Waheed Para raised the issue of huge disparity in issuing social category certificates between Jammu and Kashmir. According to data presented by the government, Jammu’s share in Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates is more than 99 per cent, while in Kashmir it is less than 1 per cent. Parra termed it a “violation of equality and administrative fairness”.
BJP MLA Shakti Parihar alleged regional discrimination in transfers in the Education Department, to which Education Minister Sakina Ittu said that it is the BJP’s habit to cry about discrimination. He said that 860 new appointments have been made in Jammu and 350 in Kashmir. Apart from this, BJP members also created a ruckus demanding a discussion on the recent floods and the loss of Rs 209 crore caused by it, which was rejected by president Abdul Rahim Rather, calling it an “old matter”. Despite heated exchanges and allegations and counter-allegations, the proceedings of the House proceeded normally and all the motions were formally disposed of.