Srinagar, Sep 21: Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly (JKLA) Speaker Abdur Rahim Rather on Monday warned that strict action as per the law would be taken against members who disrupt proceedings, asserting that the House cannot be reduced to a platform for sloganeering when public money is being spent to conduct its business.
Speaking to reporters after the House was adjourned for the day, Rather said the Assembly had taken up its listed business despite attempts by BJP members to disrupt proceedings.
“Today, our list of business comprised a few items including obituary references, Question Hour, a report on the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and a bill to be presented by the Cooperative Minister. The entire business was taken up,” he said.
The Speaker said BJP members also had questions listed for Question Hour, but chose to raise slogans instead. “They wasted their own time because they had their questions in the Question Hour as well. They resorted to anti-government slogans,” he said.
He said members were bound by the rules of the House and warned that disciplinary action would follow if disruptions continued.
“I warn any member irrespective of the party affiliations, that as per the rules, action will be taken against those who violate the rules and disrupt the House proceedings,” Rather said.
He stressed that the Assembly was meant to deliberate on issues concerning the people and seek solutions rather than become a venue for protests and sloganeering.
“For this session, people’s money is being spent, and people’s issues should be resolved. The House is not for sloganeering. It is not a fish market. It is meant to find solutions to the issues of the people,” he said.
The Speaker said members should use the parliamentary platform to raise questions and seek replies from the government, pointing out that ruling National Conference members had participated in Question Hour and sought responses from the government.
“NC members raised their questions and sought replies from the government. We did our job,” he said.
On criticism over the duration of the autumn session, Rather said there was no fixed rule limiting such sessions to a particular number of days and cited variations in the duration of legislative sittings in different states.
“The autumn session was never limited. I want to tell the LoP that in Assam there was only a one-day session, while somewhere it was for a week or five days. Why does he not raise his voice there?” Rather said, adding that the present session had a substantial number of sittings.
The Speaker also said he had asked the Opposition to nominate one leader to put forward its issues so that the government could respond.
“I asked them to appoint one leader, which is the LoP. The government will listen and reply, but they resorted to sloganeering, wasting the time of the House and the money of the people,” he said.
On the report of the JJM committee and alleged irregularities, Rather said the Opposition should have sought a discussion on the matter in the House.
He said the report would now be taken up through its committee chairman, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi.
“On the JJM report and the irregularities, the Opposition should have taken up the matter for discussion. Now the chairman of the committee on JJM, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, will be given time, and then the government will be allowed to reply,” Rather said.
The Speaker’s remarks came on a day when proceedings of the Assembly were marked by heated exchanges and slogan-shouting, with the Opposition seeking to press its issues while the Chair maintained that legislative business must continue in accordance with the rules.
