SRINAGAR: Both the houses of J&K legislature on Wednesday witnessed uproar over the civilian killings in Kashmir with opposition members creating noisy scenes and staging walkout.
As the Question Hour started in Legislative Assembly in Jammu this morning, the opposition NC and Congress members raised the issue of killing of 23-year-old youth Khalid Ahmad Dar in security forces firing at Khudwani area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday.
The NC and Congress members rushed to the well of the house and chanted anti-government slogans. They were demanding action against the security personnel involved in youth’s killing.
NC MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi said the opposition won’t allow the proceedings in the house till government agrees to discussion on civilian killings and takes action against the erring security personnel.
Senior NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar said it seems the government has vowed to kill at least one civilian a day.
“How will the situation improve if the civilian killings continue to take place,” he said adding killing of civilians by security personnel would produce more people like Burhan Wani, the slain Hizbul commander.
CPI (M) State Secretary and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said the government does not respond to cries of opposition on unending killings in Kashmir, detentions of separatists, Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), deepening power crisis and ban on use of social media on government employees.
"Mehbooba government has the distinction of setting new records in slapping record number of PSAs on separatist Masarat Alam. How long separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik continue to remain in detention,” he said.
Later, the opposition members staged a walkout from the house after government’s disapproval for a discussion on civilian killings in the Valley.
The NC and Congress members also raised the issue of civilian killings in upper house of the State legislature.
The opposition members accused the government of failing to stop civilian killings and other human rights violations in Kashmir.
After protesting for about half-an-hour, the opposition members staged walkout from Legislative Assembly.
Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a probe into the circumstances that led to killing of youth (Khalid) in Khudwani, Kulgam yesterday.
Police have also registered an FIR and taken up investigations.
Meanwhile, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have called for complete shutdown on Saturday (January 13) against the killing of a youth in Kulgam.
“Kashmir has been turned into a killing field, where lives of men, women and children are not safe. The horrendous torment unleashed by Indian army, police and forces at Khudwani yesterday during which pellets, bullets and shells were showered on people injuring hundreds and killing one innocent can only be termed as ‘state sponsored terrorism’,” they alleged.
The separatist leaders said a complete strike will be observed against the civilian killings and other oppressive measures on January 13.