J&K Assembly erupts over calls to restore Martyrs' Day holiday, BJP MLAs walk out

PDP MLA Waheed Para backed the ruling party's position and called for July 13, observed as Martyrs' Day, to be declared a state holiday. The demands triggered heated exchanges with the BJP, whose members eventually staged a walkout.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly descended into chaos again on Tuesday as BJP MLAs walked out after the Speaker rejected their demand for a debate on alleged corruption and unfulfilled promises of the Omar Abdullah government.

The second day of the autumn session saw heated exchanges, sloganeering and protests over corruption, statehood and a demand to restore holidays linked to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the late founder of the ruling National Conference (NC).

ROW OVER COMMEMORATING SHEIKH ABDULLAH

The House witnessed a war of words among legislators over public holidays associated with political and historical figures in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Conference MLA Abdul Majid Larmi demanded that the birthday and death anniversary of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah be declared public holidays.

BJP WALKOUT

BJP MLAs sought a discussion on what they alleged was corruption and the government's failure to fulfil its commitments. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather did not allow the demand, prompting BJP members to protest inside the House.

The BJP MLAs raised slogans and later staged a walkout, intensifying the confrontation between the opposition and the ruling alliance.

The previous day, BJP members had also held placards and raised slogans on several issues, creating a noisy scene in the Assembly.

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