Cutting across party lines, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Saturday condemned the recent assassination attempt on the life of ruling National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
Members from the ruling NC, as well as the PDP, Congress, CPI(M), Peoples Conference, and Independents, raised concerns over a “serious security lapse” and called for a fair and transparent investigation.
Legislators highlighted lapses in police security arrangements and questioned the absence of adequate personnel at the wedding venue in Jammu, where Dr Abdullah, who is under Z+ security, was attacked by a pistol-wielding assailant who managed to get dangerously close and open fire. However, the alertness and swift action of a security personnel saved his life.
During the discussion on an adjournment motion moved by NC members, both treasury and opposition benches unanimously described the incident as deeply disturbing and indicative of a major security failure.
Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather also called for a fair probe, raising concerns over the alleged VIP treatment of the आरोपी at the police station.
“I saw on television that the attacker was seated like a VIP during interrogation. This was completely different from how such accused are usually treated,” he said.
The Speaker added that the House had sent a strong message to those responsible for maintaining law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the attempt on Dr. Abdullah’s life was “not an ordinary incident, but an attack on the soul of democracy.”
He further noted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had personally spoken to Dr. Abdullah following the attack and assured a fair investigation.
Dr. Abdullah had a narrow escape on March 11 when a 63-year-old man, identified as Kamal Singh from Jammu’s Purani Mandi area, opened fire at point-blank range as he was leaving a wedding function in Greater Kailash. The attacker was quickly overpowered and arrested with a revolver.
BJP leader Surjit Singh Slathia described Dr. Abdullah as a towering political figure who guided Jammu and Kashmir through some of its most challenging phases, adding that such an attack was unacceptable.
Peoples Conference MLA Sajad Lone, despite being a critic of Abdullah, called him “one of the most colourful and dynamic figures in Kashmir’s political landscape.”
He also pointed out that the individual who saved Dr. Abdullah had not been publicly recognised. “It is unfortunate that even today we do not know his name,” he said, urging the government to confer a civilian award on the individual.
PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para condemned the attack and stressed that the security of elected representatives must not be compromised. He also raised broader concerns about security arrangements for political leaders in the Union Territory, alleging selective action by the administration.
Para further criticised attempts to evict former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti from her residence, asserting that security considerations in Jammu and Kashmir remain non-negotiable. He also questioned the notice issued to Sajad Lone to vacate his accommodation and the reported downgrading of security for J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra.