The Bharatiya Janata Party, a constituent of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-led alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday joined opposition National Conference and Congress in forcing the government to put on hold the implementation of various proposals made in the budget for 2016-17 since these have not been approved by the assembly yet.
As soon as the house assembled for the day, NC leader Omar Abdullah said the budget proposals have been implemented by the government even as the House was still conducting the general discussion on the budget.
"We know you have the numbers and you will pass the budget anyway. But some good suggestions could have come from here (assembly)," he said.
Omar said the orders for implementation of the budget proposals were issued by the government the same day Finance Minister Hasseb Drabu presented it in the assembly.
"It is the contempt of this house. This house cannot be taken for granted," the former Chief Minister said. Urging Speaker Kavinder Gupta to intervene in the matter, he said, the opposition leader said, "You do not have to protect the government all the time. You have to protect this House also."
Congress members led by Nawang Rigzin Jora also questioned the rationale of issuing the orders for implementation of the proposals when discussions on the budget had not been completed and the House was yet to approve them.
BJP leader Satpal Sharma also joined the opposition in opposing the move.
"I agree with my friends (pointing to opposition benches) that these orders should be withdrawn till budget is approved by the house," he said.
"While this is an established practice at the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir has a special status due to which even laws passed by Parliament are discussed and debated in the state assembly," Sharma said.
The speaker also directed the government to put on hold the orders for implementation of budget proposals till the same are passed by the house.
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