SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday withdrew his controversial “hit by shoe” remarks on BJP members in the Assembly.
“Whatever I said, they felt bad about it. I regret it,” Omar said in the House, adding that had he been given an opportunity to speak the previous day, he would have withdrawn the comments then.
He clarified that his remarks were directed at BJP members and not at their families. “However, their field commander (referring to Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma) went to the extent of dragging my parents and even my late grandfather into the matter,” he said.
“I leave it to you (Speaker sahib), if there was use of any unparliamentary word in my speech in the Assembly yesterday, you can take it from the record and I won’t have any objection over it,” he said.
Taking a dig at LoP, Omar told the BJP members, “Such army should be praised whose General (referring to LoP) left the place but the army did not give its position. Your field commander can leave you but I would not. I care about the Opposition MLAs and want them not to miss raising issues concerning their electorate as I am CM of the entire J&K”.
The controversy had erupted yesterday, when Omar, addressing LoP Sunil Sharma, said: “It seems that you people have been hit by shoes after the Home Minister arrived. The BJP termed the remarks “unparliamentary”, demanded an unconditional apology, and warned that it would not allow the House to function until the Chief Minister apologised.
On Wednesday, BJP members protested in the Assembly, staged a sit-in in the well of the House, and later walked out.
After Omar withdrew his remarks and expressed regret, senior BJP leader and MLA Sham Lal Sharma told reporters that he had not demanded an apology from the CM while raising a Point of Information on the floor of the House.
“The Speaker allowed me to speak. I said the words used by the CM were not appropriate. Such words are never used in the Assembly proceedings by the leader of the house. We felt that he realised it. Sometimes, a person speaks in emotion or during a counter-argument, a slip of the tongue takes place. He showed maturity as the Leader of the House, it was his responsibility, and there is nothing big or small about it,” he said.
Sharma said there was no question of an apology. “We said whatever decision the CM takes with his wisdom and conscience, we will accept it”.
After the CM withdrew his remarks, normal proceedings in the Assembly started.