“Unfortunately one party MLAs tend to be more vulgar than the main opposition parties only to bring down the reputation of already downgraded house of people in Jammu & Kashmir.”
The newly elected MLAs flexing their muscles for hours together at the maiden session of Jammu & Kashmir Assembly after six long years leaves eye watchers in J&K at liberty to call them wrestlers instead of law makers. Unfortunately their misconduct inside the house shows that they have not drawn any lesson from the six year suspension of popular rule and the downgrading of the erstwhile state to a union territory. People can’t think about it that what else the Central Government has to do to bring the political class of Jammu & Kashmir to senses and inculcate in them the spirits of public accountability, public sentiments, public service and public welfare. Unfortunately one party MLAs tend to be more vulgar than the main opposition parties only to bring down the reputation of already downgraded house of people in Jammu & Kashmir. While MLAs of the opposition parties reserve the right to stand up and oppose the Government decisions the way law makers oppose the treasury benches in assemblies of several states and union territories of the country and even the parliament the highest legislative forum of the country, the newly elected MLAs of J&K Assembly come to blows without any rhyme or reason as if they are not in assembly but in a wrestling ring. The resolution passed by J&K Assembly for restoration of Special Status as all know is the flashpoint of the maiden round of fighting between the ruling party MLAs and legislators of opposition parties. Though opposition members are at liberty to oppose the resolution and even demand the rolls back of the resolutions but procedures are set for such a process. A single MLA or a group of legislators putting up a flag in the well of the house to protest the Government decision amid crying and shouting or running a parallel session of proceedings outside the assembly is by probabilities an unlawful activity which is not permissible under rules anywhere in the country and same holds good for Jammu & Kashmir.
“People in general and the eye watchers in particular reserve the right to seek explanations from the opposition MLAs for destroying the precious time of the assembly in fighting and uncivilised protests within and outside the house just to score political points over each other. Questions can be asked that have the elections been held for wrestling like shows in the assembly or the process of law making usually performed by legislators in assemblies in almost all states and union territories of the country. People of Jammu want to see civility returning to assembly and lawmaking following set procedures inside the assembly in future. Let newly elected legislators not forget the fact that civility is part of politics and rather it is a political virtue that upholds political ideals amidst differences.”
While the agitating MLAs protesting the passing of the resolution and some others pushing a fresh resolution have themselves gone on record to say that merely passing the resolution won’t change the present constitutional position of Jammu & Kashmir, the people in general and the eye watchers in particular reserve the right to seek explanations from the opposition MLAs for destroying the precious time of the assembly in fighting and uncivilised protests within and outside the house just to score political points over each other. Questions can be asked that have the elections been held for wrestling like shows in the assembly or the process of law making usually performed by legislators in assemblies in almost all states and union territories of the country. People of Jammu want to see civility returning to assembly and lawmaking following set procedures inside the assembly in future. Let newly elected legislators not forget the fact that civility is part of politics and rather it is a political virtue that upholds political ideals amidst differences.
Shafqat Bukhari
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