J&K Assembly Suspended for 15 Minutes After Uproar Over LoP’s Pir Panjal Remarks
Lawmakers demand apology from LoP over reported comments; Speaker adjourns proceedings to restore order
Jammu, Feb 4: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned for 15 minutes on Wednesday after a heated uproar over reported remarks by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) suggesting that Pir Panjal does not exist.
The controversy erupted at the end of the Question Hour when Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmad demanded an apology from BJP legislator Sunil Sharma over the statement made during an interview with an online portal. The demand was supported by several legislators, including independents, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, and minister Satish Sharma, while BJP members strongly opposed it.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather attempted to calm the House, but tensions escalated as some lawmakers moved toward the Well of the House, prompting the Speaker to suspend proceedings for 15 minutes.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Iftikhar Ahmad said that the House will not function unless the LoP apologizes. He criticized the remarks, stating they disrespected the people of Pir Panjal, particularly those from the Poonch and Rajouri districts who have sacrificed their lives defending the borders.
National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan also called for an apology on the Assembly floor, emphasizing that the remarks hurt the people of the region and disrespected the martyrs who defended the nation.
