Jammu, March 4th: People’s Conference leader and former minister Sajad Gani Lone staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather disallowed his motion seeking the inclusion of amendments, including the restoration of Article 370. The Handwara legislator walked out shortly after the Question Hour, expressing dissatisfaction with the speaker’s response and alleging that the government was trying to silence opposition voices. He stated that he was not convinced by the speaker’s reply and believed that there was an attempt to suppress discussions on critical issues.
As the Assembly moved forward with the discussion on the Lieutenant Governor’s address, Lone sought the speaker’s attention to allow debate on his proposed amendments. These included the restoration of Article 370, repeal of the Public Safety Act (PSA), discussion on recent civilian killings, reassessment of police verification procedures, and a probe into the alleged rigging of the 1987 Assembly elections. However, the speaker dismissed the motion, asserting that the House had already passed a resolution on Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and there was no need for further discussion on the matter.
Addressing reporters outside the Assembly, Lone criticized the National Conference-led government, accusing it of abandoning the issues it had campaigned on after assuming power. He alleged that the party, which had previously raised concerns over Article 370 and other matters, was now unwilling to engage in any discussion. He further emphasized that his amendments were in the interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the government was deliberately avoiding a debate.
Responding to the objections, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather clarified that the issues of the Public Safety Act and police verification were beyond the purview of the state legislature as they fell under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry. Regarding the demand for an investigation into the alleged rigging of the 1987 Assembly elections, the speaker argued that over 37 years had passed, making it impractical to conduct a fresh probe into the matter.