Srinagar: District Development Board meeting of Kupwara Sunday witnessed accusations and counter accusations between members of ruling coalition and Awami Itehaad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Raheed.
According to AIP spokesman, Social Welfare Minister Sajad Gani Lone and his colleague Bashir Ahmd Dar MLA Kupwara tried to physically assault Er. Rasheed.
“The timely intervention of other Ministers and MLA’s prevented situation from taking further ugly turn,” spokesman added.
The spokesman said that the incident took place when Er. Rasheed reminded government of its commitment to investigate last year Handwara incident which had resulted in death of five people, within the stipulated time.
He had lashed out at government for not fulfilling the promise, despite promising complete investigation within a month and not doing anything even after a year.
He said that Mehbooba Mufti had promised jobs to family members of victims killed in the episode but it all proved just a false promise and her credibility got exposed.
As Rasheed lashed out at Ministers present in the meeting for “spreading terror in the valley especially in Kupwara,” Spokesman alleged that Abdul Haq Khan and Sajad Lone accused Er. Rasheed of encouraging stone pelters and acting like their spokesman.
However spokesman further alleged that Sajad Lone reacted sharply to Er. Rasheed’s remarks and called him a “militant sympathiser and Pakistani Agent,” which Er. Rasheed responded with counter charges.
He accused Sajad Lone of cheating his people and selling Martyrs blood.
He asked Sajad Lone to explain “what does he stand for and whether he has deviated from the mission of his late father or not.”
This spokesman said irritated Sajad Lone and his colleague Bashir Ahmad Dar and “they resorted abusive language and both tried to physically attack Er. Rasheed,”
The other ministers and MLA’s they say rescued the situation to deteriorate further.
Er. Rasheed later left the meeting halfway as a mark of protest against the “hooliganism of Sajad Lone and his colleagues.”
