Lone walks out of J&K assembly

People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone on Tuesday walked out from J&K legislative assembly after the speaker disallowed his amendments to LG’s address regarding police verifications, Article 370 and Public Safety Act.

Sajjad Lone had brought seven amendments in the Lt Governors address, however, only two were added; others were not included for which Lone walked out of the assembly in protest.

In the assembly, Lone urged the speaker that his motion should be entertained as it pertains to the future of students who work hard and then are refused NOC as their relatives have committed any crime. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, however, disallowed to table the motion saying that court had recently passed a judgment, but Sajjad told the speaker the court judgment was about one particular case.

Lone later told reporters outside the House that if the legislators can’t raise their voice in assembly then where should they go to highlight their issues.

“I have moved seven amendments in Lt Governor’s address and urged those should be added in the address. The amendments were about Article 370, PSA and police verification. Only two were added and the rest were not included. I have also handed over a letter to the Speaker of the House.”

Earlier, Lone had addressed a letter to the Speaker of the J&K Assembly, protesting the rejection of five out of seven amendments he submitted for the Lieutenant Governor’s address.

The disallowed amendments include the restoration of Article 370 and 35A, repeal of the Public Safety Act, a probe into the 1987 election rigging, abolition of Kashmir-specific police verification, and discussion on recent civilian deaths.

Lone criticizesd the move as an attempt to silence the aspirations of the people of J&K, questioning why political parties that campaigned on restoring Article 370 now refuse to even discuss it.

National Conference and BJP leaders, however, blamed Sajjad Lone for trying to gain media attention by moving these amendments. “Even Sajjad Lone knows that Article 370 is a closed chapter. He is just trying to grab media attention,” senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said.