SRINAGAR: It was a resolution that national parties Congress and BJP did not want for different reasons. And they quarreled over for different reasons, creating a ruckus in the state assembly, leading to adjournment of the J&K legislature. The House eventually had to forego listed business including the controversial resolution seeking clemency for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Moments after Speaker Mohammed Akbar Lone announced the start of the question hour, BJP's 11 members were on their feet. They demanded the resolution be dropped and shouted slogans against 'traitors'. Within minutes, Congressmen, including ministers, raked up the issue of disqualifying BJP MLAs, who defied the party whip while voting to elect Legislative Council members. Amid fierce sloganeering, they went into the well of the House seeking action against BJP MLAs who 'accepted money for votes.'
But that may have only been a pretext. The Congress, which did not have the courage to oppose a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly to pardon killers of its former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, does not seem to have the will to oppose a resolution to grant clemency to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
On the other hand, allowing the J&K Assembly to pass such a resolution to pass would mean nationally facing the attack of its main opponent, BJP.
Though Speaker Lone repeatedly requested lawmakers to take their seats, no one, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, took the order seriously. No Congress minister helped the Speaker to bring the House to order. The Chief Minister was seen busily talking to his colleagues. Following the ruckus the House was adjourned.
When it resumed around noon, it saw a repeat of the episode. This time, Congressmen overturned the table of the assembly secretary in the well of the House. BJP lawmakers also invaded the well and there was a brief spell of members pushing each other.
"You have converted this august house into a fish market," Speaker Lone continued crying. Unlike his past practice of using marshals, Lone skipped using them. This time, they were busy preventing damage to the furniture.
"Please tell your members to maintain discipline," Lone repeatedly advised a Congress minister who were supporting his MLAs.
According to the ruling coalition sources, Congress is desperate to have BJP MLAs expelled and win the seven seats in Jammu region in by-elections that will be necessitated if MLAs lose their membership of the House. This would help the party to claim its three years of the chief ministership.