'Cheap sloganeering, stepped on national emblem': J&K speaker rebukes BJP MLAs

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir assembly speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Thursday pulled up the BJP MLAs for raising "cheap" slogans and stepping on the national emblem "with their shoes on" amid ruckus over the passage of resolution demanding restoration of special status to the UT.

He added that the BJP's demand to roll back the special status resolution was not under the Speaker's power.

The assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to establish a Constitutional mechanism for reinstating the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked on August 5, 2019. Following this, the BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House, tearing copies of the resolution, and raising slogans like "Speaker Hai Hai", "Jai Shree Ram" "Anti-Jammu Agenda Nahi Chalega", "Pakistani Agenda Nahin Chalega" among others.

"This kind of cheap sloganeering is not done. They belong to the ruling party at the Centre. They should keep that in mind and they should be better behaved compared to others. Their behaviour is not right," he said.

"Yesterday, some members came into the Well of the House and stood on the Chair of the secretary, legislative assembly. There is the national emblem on his chair and they stepped on the national emblem with their shoes on. As a speaker, How can I tolerate that? When I saw it yesterday, I felt extremely sad. After all, we are Indians first. We should respect our flag and the emblem," he added.

The BJP members have accused the Speaker of bias with one, named Sunil Sharma saying, "We have reports that you (speaker) called a meeting of ministers yesterday and drafted the resolution yourself."

Responding to these allegations, Rather said that if the BJP members did not have faith in him, they should bring a no confidence motion.

"They should bring no confidence motion. If the House passes it, I will go back on my own whether any member tells me or not. However, they will not do that also but keep raising slogans only," he said.

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