Civilian killing issue rocks house, opposition boycotts CM speech

Jammu: The Fourth day of the ongoing budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly session began with noisy scenes on Wednesday with the Opposition demanding statement on Civilian killing in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Legislative Assembly, as the House assembled, National Conference, Congress, CPI (M) and others opposition members were on their seats drawing Speaker’s attention towards the civilian killing in south Kashmir.
Opposition entered the well of the House where they again raised slogans “ Stop Innocent Killing”, Qatil sarkar HiHi” “RSS sarkar HIHI” “Nagpur Sarkar HiHi” and Stop Human rights Violation in Kashmir.
NC Lawmaker Abdul Majeed Larmi holding a banner that said “stop innocent killings in Kashmir” and MLA Ganderbal Ishfaq Jabar Holding black banner that said that” Stop Human rights violation in Kashmir.”
MLA Pahalgam Altaf Kaloo shouted on Nayeem Akhter alleged that “you are the person who destroys government.”Ignored by the speaker the opposition Congress and National Conference (NC) members walked out of the House.
Later the National Conference and Congress decided to boycott Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s speech in the Assembly on the governor’s address, accusing her of failing to make a statement on the issue of civilian killings raised by them in the House.
“We raised the issue of civilian killings in South Kashmir in the House yesterday. The chief minister should have come to the House and made a statement on the issue. But she will come to house later (today) to give reply on the governor’s address…”
“So I will not listen to her address and will not be present in the House during the address,” leader of Opposition Omar Abdullah said in the Assembly as the Opposition continued protests and walked into the well of the House demanding that the chief minister make a statement on the issue.
Soon after the statement, Omar Abdullah and other Opposition members staged a walkout.
Later taking to reporters, Omar Abdullah said that they decided to stay away from the Assembly during the chief minister’s address.
He charged that the security situation was deteriorating in the state and the government had failed on all fronts.
“We had called for a separate discussion of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress and NC members brought adjournment motion for holding the discussion. They declined it,” the NC leader said.
“Yesterday, one youth was killed in Homshalibugh. We demanded a reply from the government. We wanted that the chief minister, who is also the home minister and head of unified command, should come to the House and reply,” he said.
Accusing the government of killing civilians, while referring to yesterday’s killing of 22-year-old in south Kashmir’s Khudwani, Omar said that the slain had no gun. “Yesterday, this person who was killed hadn’t picked up any gun. He had bullet on his throat. Even ruling minister acknowledged it. Are bullets fired on the ground or air? We wanted to ask CM,” he said.