Srinagar, Sep 21: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Monday accused the BJP of turning the Legislative Assembly into a “spectacle”, alleging that its members disrupted proceedings instead of using the House to raise questions on issues affecting the people.
Speaking to reporters after the Assembly was adjourned, Choudhary said the House had convened after nearly six months and the Opposition should have utilised the limited session to seek answers from the government.
“What you are saying is not a ruckus. It was a spectacle. It was a spectacle of the BJP. It was a drama,” Choudhary said.
He said the issues highlighted by BJP legislators on their placards included regularisation of daily wagers, National Health Mission employees, electricity, water, schools, roads and healthcare.
“If these were their issues, they should have asked questions in the Assembly. We had to answer and accountability had to be fixed. But they did not ask questions,” he said.
Choudhary alleged that the BJP was more interested in attracting media attention and generating social media content than participating in legislative proceedings.
“They just want to stay in the news, make reels and create a spectacle,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister urged BJP legislators to attend the House and raise public issues through questions, resolutions and Zero Hour rather than disrupting proceedings.
“When a party is in government, they don’t know what mistakes they are making. Their job is to identify those mistakes and bring them in front of the government,” he said.
Referring to the Jal Jeevan Mission, Choudhary alleged that the BJP deliberately created a ruckus on a day when a sub-committee report was scheduled to be submitted.
He also questioned the BJP over its record during its tenure in the Jammu and Kashmir government in alliance with the PDP, particularly on the issue of regularisation of daily wagers.
“Ask Sunil Sharma a question. He was the sports minister. When he was the sports minister, didn’t you ask him questions?” Choudhary said.
On the issue of statehood, Choudhary said Jammu and Kashmir needed restoration of its statehood and questioned the BJP over its record on the issue.
He urged BJP legislators to utilise the remaining days of the 10-day Assembly session to raise issues concerning the people instead of disrupting proceedings.
“It is a small session. Utilise it properly. Use it for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
