NC worker death: J-K Speaker rejects adjournment notice

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was on Monday adjourned for the day following pandemonium after the speaker rejected an adjournment motion notice moved by Opposition Peoples Democratic Party demanding discussion on the death of a National Conference worker allegedly in police custody.

The house was adjourned thrice in a span of three hours even as Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone rejected PDP MLAs' demand that the question hour be suspended to discuss the alleged custodial death.

PDP members had given the adjournment motion notice seeking suspension of all business and discussion on the issue related to the death of Syed Mohammad Yousuf, a National Conference worker, under mysterious circumstances on September 30.

Even as the speaker urged the Opposition members to allow the question hour to proceed, the PDP MLAs refused to budge. They raised slogans demanding revelation of the identity of those responsible for Yousuf's death.

In the midst of the Opposition attack, ruling National Conference MLAs took to their feet and started shouting slogans against PDP. PDP MLA Iftikhar Hussain Ansari urged the Speaker to suspend the question hour and allow the adjournment motion but the speaker told him not to dictate terms.

This led to a heated argument between Lone and Ansari during which the duo levelled charges of corruption against each other.

As the commotion continued, the speaker first adjourned the house for 30 minutes. After the house reassembled, the speaker rejected the adjournment motion notice saying it could hamper the judicial inquiry ordered by the state government into Yousuf's death.

"A discussion on the matter is hardly justified at this stage and can prove counter-productive as state government has requested the chief justice (of J and K high court) to appoint a sitting high court judge to probe the matter," Lone said.

PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig sought to question the speaker's rejection of the motion notice but the members of the treasury benches including several ministers rose in protest.

The speaker adjourned the house again for 15 minutes as the Opposition and treasury benches continued to trade charges. When the house reassembled for a third time, the speaker expressed regret over his remarks against Ansari and directed that they be expunged.

"I regret what happened in the beginning. I have close relations with Ansari sahib... The remarks be expunged from the records and media is requested not to carry the remarks," Lone said.

Not satisfied with the Speaker's statement, PDP members stormed the well of the House and tore business papers, forcing another adjournment for 30 minutes.

Talking to reporters, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the finger of suspicion was pointing at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Minister of State Home Nasir Aslam Wani and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah.

"...A fair probe is not possible while they are in power," Mehbooba said.

National Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Makotia demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident resulting in the death of Yousuf.

The J and K government had on Sunday rejected the Opposition PDP's demand for resignation of the chief minister, saying a judicial probe has already been ordered into the incident.

The state government's response came even as the PDP decided to move the adjournment motion notice in the assembly to discuss the situation arising out of the mysterious death of the NC worker.

The decision to move an adjournment motion was taken at a meeting of the PDP legislature party here, PDP sources had said.