PDP MLA gets 7 days to respond to privilege notice

SRINAGAR: First-time MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para of PDP has been given a week to respond to a “breach of privilege” notice, following accusations from NC legislator Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi of using derogatory remarks during his speech in J&K assembly earlier this month.

The Pulwama MLA said he would respond to the notice, but criticised the move against him. “People elected us to raise their voice in the House on various issues and grievances. The notice issued by the assembly is nothing but to silence our voice,” he said Wednesday.

Para also commented on a notification issued by J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations, asking candidates seeking admission in MD/MS courses at a private medical college in Jammu under “minority” Hindu and NRI quotas to submit their documents.

“It’s a calculated discrimination,” Para wrote on X. “In Kashmir, Muslims are classified as a national minority to access school scholarships but are penalised as the local majority when it comes to college admissions and government jobs.”