'Bajrangi Sarkar Hai Hai': Opposition Protest on Controversial Mining Order

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislature witnessed uproarious scenes on Friday morning after the Opposition members demanded withdrawal of a controversial order which opens doors of J&K's mineral rich landscape to non-state subjects.

As soon as the House convened on Friday morning, the legislators of National Conference and the Congress stood up, demanding withdrawal of SRO 105, according to which royalty on stone quarrying has been hiked.

The controversial SRO, issued by the Industries and Commerce Department, will also allow non-state subjects to participate in bidding for mineral excavation. “The provisions of this SRO are not in the interests of public and are bound to escalate construction costs,” MY Tarigami, CPI (M) leader, said.

Shouting slogans against the coalition government, the Opposition legislators trooped into the well and resorted to sloganeering following which the Assembly Speaker, Kavinder Gupta, adjourned the proceedings for fifteen minutes.

Soon after the House convened, Gupta announced setting up of House Committee, comprising members of ruling and opposition parties, to examine the SRO which, Gupta said, has been put on hold.

The Opposition legislators, however, demanded that the SRO must be withdrawn and again created ruckus. The legislators members stormed into the well of the House where they shouted slogans like 'Dalaalun Ki Sarkaar, Haai Haai, Bajrangi Sarkar, Haai Haai'.

Tarigami, who brought the matter into the Opposition's notice on Thursday and was watching the ruckus silently from his bench, stood up and urged the legislators to respect the sanctity of the House by giving a chance to the House Committee.

"It is a serious matter. But my personal opinion is that we should give a chance to the House Committee. We should not get divided on the issue as it concerns the larger welfare of people of J&K. We should work out consensus on it," Tarigami said.

Despite appeals by the legislators from the ruling parties, the Opposition legislators continued to disrupt the proceedings and staged another walkout from the House.