Chaos in J-K assembly, as inter-district recruitment Bill is adopted

SRINAGAR - Chaos prevailed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Friday even as the controversial Inter-District Recruitment Bill was adopted.

The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is led by Mehbooba Mufti, called for a ban of the controversial bill.

The PDP claimed bill would divide the state along regional political lines.

The last day of the assembly session saw lawmakers hurling in mikes, benches and chairs at each other.

Violence ensued when the Speaker refused to allow the opposition PDP to speak out of turn on the Bill.

On April 5, State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohmmad Sagar introduced the Bill in the Assembly. The Assembly was scheduled to discuss the Bill on Friday.

The PDP has been blocking proceedings of the House for most of this week over the bill’s tabling.

“Is this the best way for the government to bring the Bill and pass it? We just wanted to have a discussion. They have discredited the institution of the Assembly. They allowed the BJP and the Panthers Party to speak, but not one of our leaders to speak,” said Mehbooba Mufti.

“What kind of assembly is this that they don’t allow the largest opposition party to voice their opinions? This is very unhealthy,” she added.

Mufti said her party was in favour of the Bill in its original form, but wanted a discussion.

She said non-uniform education situation meant that youth in certain districts could not compete with their counterparts in other districts.

“The government has created a confrontationist situation, where boys and girls in general category will feel their right to employment is being taken away by people from outside districts in the name of ST reservation. The Government has hit out at J and K’s internal unity, and behaved in an autocratic manner today,” she claimed.

The bill has generated anger in the Jammu region as it denies Scheduled Caste candidate’s jobs reserved for them at the district level.

While valley-based parties, the National Conference (NC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, favour the ban on inter-district recruitment, Jammu-based parties like the BJP and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party are opposed to it. (ANI)