No disruptions during L-G's Budget address highlight shift in J&K Assembly

Srinagar: Unlike past years, when the budget address by the then governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir were often disrupted by opposition members, this time there was just a lone incident during Lieutenant Governor’s address in the Union Territory (UT) Legislative Assembly.

The governor’s speech in the erstwhile state Assembly had often been marred by interruptions from opposition members. However, this year, the atmosphere in the UT Assembly was markedly different.

There was just a lone incident of walkout by an Independent MLA, Sheikh Khursheed Ahmed, who sought justice for the families of two persons recently killed in Kathua and Sopore and for restoration of statehood. He was immediately taken out by the Marshals from the central hall of the Assembly.

As the majority of the opposition in the J&K Assembly comprises BJP MLAs, numbering 28, the saffron party members refrained from any interruptions. The reason behind this change lies in the fact that the L-G is a representative appointed by the Central government, where the BJP is the ruling party.

This rendered it politically unfeasible for BJP legislators to disrupt the address. Similarly, the three MLAs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and lone legislator of J&K People Conference didn’t interrupt the L-G’s Budget address though they have been very vocal since then criticizing the National Conference led coalition government since then.

“NC and Congress are in alliance while BJP is the ruling party at the Center and L-G is its representative. On paper there might be a strong opposition in J&K Assembly, but in reality there are only five of six MLAs who are in opposition,” PDP legislative party leader in the J&K Assembly, Waheed Parra told DH.

Parra, who has been vocal in criticising the NC and the BJP, said the Budget was a routine document of the L-G and nothing much on promises of NC government which it made in its election manifesto.