Jammu: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today as Opposition NC and Congress staged walkouts to protest what they claimed was the state government’s failure to make several administrative units functional and over the strike at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) in Srinagar.

As the House met for the day, National Conference (NC) MLA Devender Rana raised the issue of “non-functional” administrative units in J&K particularly his Nagrota constituency and sought a reply from the state government.

Rana said that the administrative unit of Jandhra in Nagrota was non-functional as no officials were posted there.

He was supported by NC and Congress members, who accused the government of failing to make administrative units functional.

As the Speaker turned down their request for a reply, the NC and Congress members rushed into the Well of the House.

They waved banners with messages – ‘make administrative units functional’ and raised slogans creating ruckus.

“The way government is working you won’t see us here inside the House,” Devender Rana told the House and after half-an-hour long protest NC and Congress staged a walkout.

The previous Omar Abdullah government had set up 659 administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.

Speaking to reporters outside, Rana said the functional administrative units were a tool of governance and the government had failed to make them functional.

“The delay raises many questions regarding the political motivation of the BJP as the issue is hanging decision despite assurances held out in the Legislative Assembly and in various forums,” Rana said.

He alleged that the government was delaying the functioning of ‘Tehsil’ (administrative units), as it was created by the Omar Abdullah led Government.

“If urgency can be shown by the PDP in posting Assistant Commissioner in Bhaderwah despite non-availability of any such post what is the problem in making duly created Jindrah Tehsil functional, he asked.

Opposition NC and Congress also raked up the issue of the strike in the state’s most premier institute SKIMS for last few days resulting in shut down medical services causing difficulties to the patients.

They walked into the Well of the House and staged a walkout alleging unsatisfactory reply by the Minister for Health Bali Bhagat.

The minister said that OPD was functioning at the hospital and efforts were being made to end the strike.

Guest