The opposition has boycotted the assembly for one full day not on a non issue but over an issue concerning killing of civilians in public protests. Though speaker assembly Kavinder Gupta had amid pandemonium over the demand of the opposition for debate on civilian killings agreed to allow one hour demand to facilitate the smooth functioning of the assembly but unfortunately few provocative words of the Parliamentary affairs minister angered the opposition to the extent of staging a walk out and then boycotting the house proceeding for the entire day. The parliamentary affairs minister Ab Rehman Veeri a three time MLA and one of the senior most ministers of ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) amid slogan shouting from the opposition members failed to control his emotions and provocated the entire opposition when he said “last year Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had offered a debate on civilian killings in response to the demand of the opposition for the same but this year opposition has no issue and wants to obstruct the proceedings of the house unnecessarily ”. Veeri a senior legislator and a senior cabinet colleague of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti perhaps had a driver was recently killed in unprovocative firing of army men in Kupwara . Though a magisterial inquiry was orders into the drivers killing but the government is yet to come out with the fact finding report to be submitted by the concerned inquiry officer. Instead of the mocking at the opposition the parliamentary affairs could have politely told the opposition members to show respect to speaker’s decision to allow the debate on civilian killings in Kashmir for one hour late. Had Veeri not mocked at the opposition members over their demand for debate on civilian killings in Kashmir, the speaker or the parliamentary affairs minister could have persuaded the opposition to agree to the offer of the speaker for one hour debate over the issue of civilian killings in Kashmir valley.
Though parliamentary affairs minister Ab Rehman Veeri at the instance of CPI(M) Secretary M Y Tarigami and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen tried to pacify the agitating opposition members, but the unrelenting opposition refused to give up to covey the message that provocation only defeats cooperation.
Knowing that even little bit of provocation can annoy legislators to the extent of showing non cooperation in the conduct of the house proceeding the parliamentary affairs minister always supposed to bridge the gapes between the government and opposition could have played the role of a facilitator but not a saboteur. Non participation of the opposition in the debate on the motion of thanks over governor’s address to the joint session of state legislator is against the spirit of collective law making procedure and better it would be for the government to bring back the opposition and make sure that all the opposition parties participate in the debate on motion of thanks over the governor’s address to the joint session of state legislature. Though parliamentary affairs minister Ab Rehman Veeri at the instance of CPI(M) Secretary M Y Tarigami and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen tried to pacify the agitating opposition members, but the unrelenting opposition refused to give up to covey the message that provocation only defeats cooperation.
