Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta has taken a strong stand against the Speaker, accusing him of failing to take action against the manhandling of MLAs in the House.
Gupta expressed disappointment over the “Speaker’s inaction”, which he said compromised the dignity and decorum of the legislative body. He also condemned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his silence on the matter, criticising his failure to intervene in a time when the sanctity of the Assembly should be paramount.
In a statement, the BJP leader called the incident a “shameful blot on democratic proceedings,” noting that elected representatives were obstructed from voicing the concerns of their constituencies. “The Speaker’s indifference reflects poorly on the Assembly’s commitment to democratic values,” he stated, adding that every representative deserves a safe and respectful space to express the voice of the people.
MLA Yudhvir Sethi also condemned the NC for its attempt to suppress the voice of Jammu region in the Legislative Assembly. He said that right to speech was obstructed as the MLAs were forcibly throw out of the Assembly.
Sethi lambasted the NC, accusing it of deliberate diversionary tactics to conceal its alleged failure to deliver on its commitments to the people. He further criticised the ruling party for indulging in outdated and irrelevant issues, saying, “The NC is raising dead issues, trying to revive long-past matters like the restoration of Article 370, while failing to address the pressing concerns of the people.”
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh warned the Omar Abdullah-led government against “murdering the mandate of democracy by resorting to disruptive and violent means”.
Reacting strongly to the BJP members being marshalled out of the Assembly, Chugh said it was a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the people.
Chugh said Omar Abdullah was making an “attempt to subvert the democratic institutions just to catch media eyes and please his master across the border”.
