BJP legislators on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, accusing Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather of bias with opposition. They alleged that the Speaker was favoring the ruling party by limiting opposition members’ speaking time. Despite protests, BJP members returned after persuasion, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in governance.
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Led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, the BJP members staged a dharna outside the Assembly complex, alleging that the Speaker shielded the government from accountability and denied the opposition adequate opportunity as also adequate time to voice concerns in the House.
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Despite efforts by NC members to persuade the BJP legislators, some walked out, protesting the Speaker’s alleged impartiality. The BJP emphasized the need for transparency in governance, calling attention to issues such as fund allocation and regional disparities.
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The protest followed a heated exchange between BJP members and the treasury benches over allegations of divisive politics, including claims that the Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College had disadvantaged students from the majority community.
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The BJP legislators specifically raised concerns over the time given to NC legislator Sajad Shaheen during his speech on the Motion of Thanks on the Lt Governorโs address. They alleged that ruling party members received preferential treatment while their own membersโ opportunities to speak were curtailed or ignored.
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Speaker Rather rejected the allegations, insisting that the House was being conducted in strict accordance with established rules and parliamentary conventions. Despite his attempts to pacify the situation, BJP MLAs chose to leave the Assembly in protest, highlighting ongoing tensions between the opposition and the ruling coalition.
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The BJP members walked out of the house despite Ratherโs making an attempt to ensure that they stayed back on their seats, saying that he was not differentiating between the members.Before walking out of the house, a heated argument ensued between the BJP legislators and the members of the treasury benches who accused the National party of divisive politics and shunting downย
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