Srinagar, September 22: A row over holidays commemorating the birth anniversaries of Maharaja Hari Singh and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah triggered heated exchanges between National Conference (NC) and BJP lawmakers in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, with BJP legislators raising slogans and later staging a walkout.
The controversy erupted after NC MLA Abdul Majid Larmi suggested that the government should either restore the holiday on Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birth anniversary or cancel the holiday declared on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday.
The remarks drew strong objections from BJP members.
“How can they talk about cancelling a holiday?” BJP MLA R.S. Pathania said during the uproar.
BJP legislators then raised slogans in support of Maharaja Hari Singh, with BJP MLA Devyani Rana shouting, “Maharaja Hari Singh Amar Rahe.”
Amid the din, NC legislators Mubarak Gul and Shamima Firdous strongly pressed for the restoration of the holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary.
PDP MLA Waheed Para also supported the demand, calling it legitimate and seeking the restoration of the Martyrs’ Day holiday.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and warned the protesting BJP members against disrupting the proceedings.
“The House has to run as per procedure. You cannot do this,” Rather told the BJP legislators.
The BJP members subsequently walked out of the House.
The exchange came on the second day of the Assembly’s autumn session, with the issue of commemorative holidays once again becoming a point of contention between the ruling NC and opposition BJP.
