SRINAGAR, SEP 22: The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Tuesday after National Conference (NC) MLA Abdul Majid Larmi called for either restoring the holiday marking Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birth anniversary or scrapping the holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday.
The remarks triggered strong protests from BJP legislators, who accused the ruling party of disrupting the functioning of the House. BJP MLA R.S. Pathania objected to the demand, while other BJP members raised slogans in support of Maharaja Hari Singh.
“Maharaja Hari Singh Amar Rahe,” BJP MLA Devyani Rana shouted amid the protests.
The issue led to a noisy scene in the Assembly, with NC MLAs Mubarak Gul and Shamima Firdous also demanding the restoration of the holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary.
PDP MLA Waheed Para backed the demand and also called for the restoration of the Martyrs’ Day holiday.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and warned protesting members against disrupting proceedings, stressing that the House must function according to established procedure.
The protests continued amid slogan-shouting, following which BJP legislators staged a walkout from the Assembly.
The dispute comes amid continuing political differences in the J&K Assembly over public holidays associated with Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Martyrs’ Day and Maharaja Hari Singh. Similar disputes over these holidays have previously led to heated exchanges and walkouts in the House.
