Now democracy shamed in Kashmir assembly, PDP MLA slaps Marshal

An opposition Peoples Democratic Party MLA on Wednesday slapped a marshal in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly as proceedings were marred by unruly scenes.

During discussion of the grants of agriculture ministry in the assembly, PDP MLA Syed Bashir, trooped into well of the house over shortage of ration given to migrants.

Speaker Mubarak Gul ordered the assembly marshals to remove the shouting PDP legislator Bashir, who represents the south Kashmir Rajpoora constituency.

As the marshals were taking him out of the house, other PDP MLAs also rushed into the well of the house.

Amid unruly scenes, Speaker ordered their marshalling out of the house too.

While marshals were removing them, suddenly, PDP MLA Bashir caught hold of the collar of a marshal and slapped him thrice.

Mehbooba Mufti, PDP Legislative Party leader and another MLA A R Veeri, tried to draw the Speaker's attention towards the issue but their was no response and they also staged a walkout from the house.

Later, Bashir told reporters, "I was raising the issue of Kashmiri Pandit migrants from Pulwama, who have not received ration this month till now. I wanted to raise this issue in the assembly, but the Speaker did not allow, saying it was question hour."

"It was my responsibility as an assembly member to raise the issue, but they did not listen to me. What is the use of this assembly," Bashir said.

He said that he wanted to make the government aware about the scarcity of the food to them.

"This is shame for this house if we come here to eat food on token given by the house and not raise the public issue," he added.

As a mark of the protest, PDP MLAS did not return to the house.