Security breach in J-K Assembly

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone on Monday ordered inquest proceedings against an expelled BJP legislator and his three workers who jumped into the well of the House from visitors’ gallery and resorted to sloganeering with flag in hands during the Question Hour.

The three youth, identified as Ambedkar Gupta, Manish Khajuria and Sunny Malhotra, were overpowered by the Assembly marshals and placed under arrest after they created ruckus in the House at around 10:30 am.

The Speaker said the trio had been provided passes on the request of expelled BJP MLA Jagdish Raj Sapolia to witness the proceedings from the public gallery.
Raising slogans demanding implementation of employment policy in the state, the agitating youth unfurled the flag of a newly-floated party, the J&K Democratic Front, headed by Sapolia.

Embarrassed by the incident, the Speaker directed Superintendent Police Security Civil Secretariat, to take the offenders in custody till October 10 and left the action to be taken by the House.

While terming the incident unfortunate, he said, “Such type of incidents are not good for the sanctity of the House and for democratic set up and anyone instigating such type of activities has no regard of the House.”

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was present in the House when the incident occurred, directed the marshals to stop beating the youth. But the CM's intervention failed to pacify security personnel.

Omar said there was no security breach in this incident.

“The three youth had entered the Assembly complex on valid passes issued by a sitting legislator. They (youth) were unarmed and there was no threat to any elected representative,” he said.

“While we condemn this disruption, it is important that we don't certainly need to blow it out of proportion,” Omar said.
He, however, admitted that unemployment was an issue to be addressed, apart from law and order, as there were over six lakh unemployed youths in the State.

The rebel BJP MLA Sapolia, expelled from the party with six other legislatures on charges of cross-voting during the Legislative Council polls in March last year, wanted to make a statement in the House about the incident.

However, the speaker denied his request and asked him to appear before the concerned authorities.

Outside the Assembly, Sapolia told reporters it was a breach of trust of the youth and condemned their action.

“I had no knowledge of what they were going to do. It was a breach of trust and I condemn the incident,” he said.

The rebel MLA said he was ready to apologise to the House for its contempt committed by these youth.