In Jammu and Kashmir, the Assembly was today adjourned for three hours as the House witnessed a ruckus for the third consecutive day over the denial of business adjournment to discuss the Waqf Act.
When the House met this morning, the National Conference members once again trooped near the Well to press for the discussion. Opposition BJP legislators, led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma also walked into the Well amid sloganeering by legislators from both sides. Some of them also staged a sit-in.
Due to the pandemonium, the Speaker adjourned the house till 1.00 PM. The assembly witnessed back-to-back full-day adjournments over the last two days on the Waqf issue after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather disallowed an adjournment motion moved by some of the ruling National Conference members and their alliance partners on Monday when the house met after a recess of 12 days. Today is the last day of the Budget Session that began on March 3.
Speaker A. R. Rather adjourned the House till 1 PM as chaos erupted from the very beginning, with both the treasury and opposition benches accusing each other of indulging in “drama.”
As soon as the session began, National Conference legislators Nazir Gurezi and Mubarak Gul urged the Speaker to allow a discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act. “We’ve read the rules too. A discussion can be permitted—just use your discretion,” they appealed.
Speaker Rather responded by stating that BJP members had submitted a fresh resolution seeking a discussion on unemployment. With protests continuing on both sides, the Speaker was compelled to adjourn the House.
Outside the Assembly, BJP members staged a sit-in protest on the stairs leading to the Legislature complex, while NC legislators briefly demonstrated inside the House following the adjournment.