J&K: Alleging bias, BJP MLA stages walkout
MLA RS Pathania was not present in the House when Rather called his name; since he was absent, the speaker moved on to the next question; later he sought time but to no avail
Accusing assembly speaker AR Rather of being biased, BJP MLA RS Pathania on Tuesday staged a walkout from the House after he was allegedly denied permission to ask a query during the question hour.
Pathania was not present in the House when Rather called his name. Since he was absent, the speaker moved on to the next question. Meanwhile, Pathania turned up and tried to raise his question, which was listed in the day’s business.
Rather, however, did not allow him and informed the member that he had called his name earlier. Pathania claimed that he was stuck in a traffic jam and hence reached late. Despite his repeated pleas, the speaker moved on to the next questions.
An angry Pathania staged a walkout. Later, talking to reporters outside the house, Pathania said he was stuck in a traffic jam and reached late. “I had listed 20 questions like other legislators. Now, only seven sittings of the House remain but all my 20 questions are still pending. Today, my first question was listed but I got delayed by just a few seconds. However, speaker didn’t allow me because the government wanted to escape from discussion on backdoor appointments. Public exchequer in crores has been looted. The government has favoured blue eyed people and hence want to hide its wrongdoings,” said Pathania.
He said that he protested against what he called the biased approach of the speaker and the Assembly secretariat. He said that speaker’s conduct was biased.
Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma also said that the speaker was biased and he ran assembly like an NC party worker. “He wants to shield the government and that is why he doesn’t allow queries of the BJP legislators. Pathania’s question was deliberately avoided,” said Sharma.
He said that the speaker largely entertains the queries of the ruling MLAs deliberately to shield the government. “He is not neutral.. he has eroded sanctity of his post. He was biased in winter session at Srinagar last year,” he added.
The LoP went on to say that NC has always discriminated against Jammu.
