Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
“National Conference is an industry,” a lawmaker told the lower house of the state legislature.
However, this remark of the lawmaker invoked a strong reaction from a single National Conference (NC) lawmaker from summer capital.
The Lower House id discussing grants to Industries Sector of J&K and NC’s Habbakadal lawmaker, Ms Shameema Firdous, was participating in the debate. As her time finished, Presiding Officer of the House, Sukhnandan Kumar pressed the time-up button. She continued forcing ruling PDP’s Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari to ask Ms Firdous to sit and let others speak. “Your ministry is missing,” she retorted back. All other sitting NC legislators were missing from the house but Ms Firdous.
Now, it was turn of ruling BJP’s ally, Peoples Conference led by Sajad Gani Lone, to speak on the grants.
As PC’s Advocate Bashir Ahmad Dar, representing Kupwara assembly segment, stood to speak, he yelled addressing Ms Firdous, “National Conference is itself an industry.”
This comment angered lady NC’s lawmaker, who asked Kupwara lawmaker to explain “what he meant” by it. “It is up to interpretation,” Advocate Dar replied, “If seen in one way NC is an industry.”
“If we count the assets (of NC lawmakers),” he added, “it is an industry.” This argument of PC’s Dar angered government gun man turned Congressman from Bandipora, Ab Majeed Ganaie alias Usman.
“Don’t get unnerved,” Dar told Bandipora lawmaker, “I have not yet revealed assets of Congress men.”
Dar supported his argument saying, “I too am an MLA but I can’t open any industry yet.” “However, he added, “yes I can start a small one”. “But if we check your (senior Congress and NC lawmakers) assets then I am not wrong,” he added.
PC’s Bashir Ahmad Dar won his debut elections from Kupwara assembly segment in 2014. He was a lawyer by profession.
Dar regretted his comments it “had hurt his colleagues from Opposition”.
While Dar was “trying” to speak on grants to Industries sector, he was intermittently interrupted by NC’s Pahalgam lawmaker who had taken his seat inside the house while his senior Ms Firdous left.
Presiding Officer, in absence of Speaker and his deputy, Sukhnandan Kumar stopped Dar and asked him to sit. Congress’ Aijaz Ahmad Khan continued the debate, thereafter.
