Jammu: A proposed amendment to the Lieutenant Governor’s Address regarding the attacks on Kashmiris working in other states was defeated in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
After the CM replied to the LG’s Address, Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone, pressed that his amendment be put to vote. When the amendment was put to voting, National Conference MLAs voted against it, while Peoples Conference and Peoples Democratic Party MLAs voted in its favour.
Following the voice vote, the Speaker declared that the amendment had been rejected by the House. The amendment was taken up in the House after the CM’s reply to the LG’s Address.
When the Speaker asked Lone whether he would withdraw the amendment or press it, Lone said he would withdraw it if the government gave an assurance that they would create an institutional mechanism, such as a cabinet subcommittee, to look into these incidents.
Responding to Lone, CM Omar Abdullah said that an institutional mechanism is already in place to address such incidents. At this, Lone asked him to reveal details about such incidents. The CM did not respond, prompting Lone to press the amendment for voting.
Only Lone and PDP members in the House supported the amendment.
In a post on X, PC president Sajad Lone said that NC and BJP together voted against the amendment in the Assembly to defeat it. “I had moved amendments to the Honourable LG’s Address. The concept was that these points be added to the Honourable LG’s Address. The amendments were put to vote, and NC and BJP voted against them,” Lone said.
He expressed gratitude to PDP members for supporting his amendments. “Thanks to PDP members. They supported them,” Lone added.
Lone’s amendment read: “But to regret that there is no mention of the strongest possible condemnation in the Address about attacks on Kashmiri students, traders, and hawkers in different states and Union Territories, in their own country. Besides, there is no mention of any communication with the Union Government and different states to take strict action against the culprits involved in such dastardly acts.”
