Srinagar, Oct 3: Drama was witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday, when the Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone lost his temper and hurled abuses at senior PDP MLA Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, even as the latter threw a pedestal fan towards the chair, which however did not hit anyone.
Later the Speaker outside the Assembly admitted that he lost his temper. "I am really sorry but somebody was absing me. I tried to restrain myself and then I thought I should pay them back in their own coin."
The House was today adjourned for the day following pandemonium after the Speaker rejected an adjournment motion notice moved by Opposition PDP demanding discussion on the death of a NC worker allegedly in police custody.
The House was adjourned thrice in a span of three hours even as the Speaker rejected PDP MLAs' demand that the Question Hour be suspended to discuss the alleged custodial death.
PDP members had given the adjournment motion notice seeking suspension of all business and discussion on the issue related to the death of Syed Mohammad Yousuf, a National Conference worker, under mysterious circumstances on September 30.
Even as the Speaker urged the Opposition members to allow the Question Hour to proceed, the PDP MLAs refused to budge. They raised slogans demanding revelation of the identity of those responsible for Yousuf's death.
In the midst of the Opposition attack, ruling National Conference MLAs took to their feet and started shouting slogans against PDP.
PDP MLA Iftikhar Hussain Ansari urged the Speaker to suspend the Question Hour and allow the adjournment motion but the Speaker told him not to dictate terms.
This led to a heated argument between Lone and Ansari during which the duo levelled charges of corruption against each other.
As the commotion continued, the Speaker first adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
After the House reassembled, the Speaker rejected the adjournment motion notice saying it could hamper the judicial inquiry ordered by the state government into Yousuf's death.
“A discussion on the matter is hardly justified at this stage and can prove counter-productive as state government has requested the Chief Justice (of J and K High Court) to appoint a sitting High Court judge to probe the matter,” Lone said.
PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig sought to question the Speaker's rejection of the motion notice but the members of the treasury benches including several ministers rose in protest.
The Speaker adjourned the House again for 15 minutes as the Opposition and treasury benches continued to trade charges.
When the House reassembled for a third time, the Speaker expressed regret over his remarks against Ansari and directed that they be expunged.
“I regret what happened in the beginning. I have close relations with Ansari sahib... The remarks be expunged from the records and media is requested not to carry the remarks,” Lone said.
Not satisfied with the Speaker's statement, PDP members stormed the Well of the House and tore business papers, forcing another adjournment for 30 minutes.
Talking to reporters, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the finger of suspicion was pointing at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, MoS Home Nasir Aslam Wani and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah.
“...A fair probe is not possible while they are in power,” Mehbooba said.
National Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Makotia demanded a CBI probe into the incident resulting in the death of Yousuf.
The J and K government had yesterday rejected the Opposition PDP's demand for resignation of the Chief Minister, saying a judicial probe has already been ordered into the incident.
The state government's response came even as the PDP decided to move the adjournment motion notice in the Assembly to discuss the situation arising out of the mysterious death of the NC worker.
The decision to move an adjournment motion was taken at a meeting of the PDP legislature party here, PDP sources had said.
Syed Mohammad Yousuf, a NC worker from south Kashmir's Anantnag district, had died allegedly in police custody after two fellow party workers had accused him of taking Rs 1.18 crore from them for getting them berths in the Legislative Council.
Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather had told reporters there was no need for Omar to resign as a judicial inquiry has been ordered to probe the circumstances leading to Yousuf's death.
“One cannot ask for resignation after every allegation,” he had said.
Rather was responding to the demand of PDP calling for resignations of Omar, Minster of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah over the incident.
Rather had said action under law will be taken if anyone is responsible for the death of Yousuf.
“I want to assure the people that if anyone is responsible for the death, action will be taken under law whoever he might be,” he had said.
The Minister had appealed to the Opposition not to politicise the matter as the state government has already requested services of a sitting high court judge for conducting a judicial inquiry and finding the truth.
“The intention of the government to find the truth was evident from from the fact that we did not waste any time in requested the services of a sitting High Court judge.”
Rather said the Chief Minister should be appreciated for prompt action in the case as his name was being dragged into a corruption case. PTI
