Vacant officers’ gallery, ‘selective’ withdrawal of security triggers all-party protest in J&K Assembly

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has been witnessing a rare unanimous show of anger, with even legislators of the BJP joining the ruling National Conference (NC) in expressing strong annoyance over what they termed the bureaucracy’s casual approach towards House proceedings. The discontent was fuelled by rows of empty chairs in the officers’ gallery, symbolising official absence, alongside allegations of “selective” withdrawal of security cover, turning the Assembly into a rare platform of collective protest cutting across political divides.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said withdrawal of security from MLA’s and party offices is a matter of concern and needs serious caution and must not be taken casually. He also said that withdrawal of security after an assassination attempt on former CM Farooq Abdullah is very unfortunate.

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The Assembly on Wednesday witnessed rare unanimity as members across parties pointed to the absence of senior officers from the gallery, prompting Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to flag the issue to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
A day earlier on Tuesday, the issue of reported withdrawal of security from ruling National Conference headquarters Nawa-i-Subh in Srinagar and legislators of NC and its ally Congress rocked the Legislative Assembly with the alliance leaders taking serious exception to it as some of them said the security of BJP and RSS leaders and offices has not been withdrawn.

However, the BJP supported the ruling party legislators on the issue of immediate return of the withdrawn security cover notwithstanding that a couple of ruling party MLAs said the Lieutenant Governor will be responsible if their NC office is targeted.
The issue of absence of bureaucrats from the Assembly was raised by National Conference legislator Nazir Ahmad Gurezi towards the end of the Question Hour, drawing support from members across both treasury and opposition benches, who rose from their seats in protest.
The speaker assured the protesting members that the House has taken note of their concerns, stressing that it is imperative for the officers concerned to be present whenever questions related to their departments are taken up.

Pointing towards the empty chairs in the officers’ gallery, Gurezi said he has been a member of the House for 22 years but has never seen the Assembly being ignored in this manner. He urged the chief minister to take action against officers who fail to be present in the Assembly.

BJP legislator Sham Lal Sharma said the absence of officers was not the correct practice. “I believe the chief minister will take cognisance of this. From your (Speaker’s) side as well, a formal notice should be issued to the chief secretary seeking an explanation,” he said.

Outside the House, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary also questioned the rationale behind the “selective” withdrawal of security to MLAs.
He alleged that providing security to selected representatives on a “pick and choose” basis amounted to a “mockery of democracy.” Choudhary, however, said “since the lieutenant governor is in charge of the police, I believe he will intervene and the concerns raised in the House will be addressed by him personally”.