Sajad Lone Walks Out Over Rejection of Amendments on Article 370, Police Verification, and ‘1987 Rigging’
Srinagar 04 March 2025: Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. The walkout was in protest against the disallowing of his amendments regarding Article 370, police verification, and the shifting back of detainees lodged in jails outside J&K.
Amendments Rejected:
After the question hour ended, Lone stood up and questioned Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather over the disallowing of his amendments. These amendments included:
- Article 370: Lone sought to include a mention of Article 370 in the LG’s address.
- 1987 Election Rigging: He called for a probe into the alleged rigging of the 1987 election.
- PSA Detentions: Lone demanded the repeal of the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the shifting back of detainees lodged in jails outside J&K.
Speaker’s Response:
The Speaker stated that the amendments had been disallowed under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House. Lone had submitted seven amendments to the LG’s address; however, only two were allowed. The Speaker explained that the issues of police verification and PSA fall within the ambit of the central government, and the 1987 election was not a recent occurrence.
Lone’s Argument:
Lone argued that there was no mention of Article 370 in the resolution passed in the J&K Assembly in the last session. “We are victims of police verification, and the rules are very stringent. I am myself a victim. Nobody should be punished for what their kins have done. We cannot keep quiet on these issues,” he said.
Support from Congress MLA:
Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat supported Lone’s argument, stating that police verification should be discussed and debated in the House. “You should have kept the repeal of PSA in the LG’s address if you had an intention,” Lone said. To this, the Speaker responded, “It cannot be done unless the state is restored.”
Walkout in Protest:
Angered by the Speaker’s refusal to allow the amendments to the LG’s address, Lone staged a walkout from the House. Talking to reporters outside the House, Lone expressed his frustration, stating that procedurally, the Speaker should have placed his amendments before the House. “I feel they are trying to muzzle us… They have imposed a total ban on issues such as the ones I raised, and that is why I have walked out from the House,” Lone said.
Bottom-Line:
Sajad Lone’s walkout from the Legislative Assembly highlights the ongoing political tensions and the challenges faced by opposition leaders in raising critical issues. The rejection of his amendments and the subsequent walkout underscore the complexities of addressing contentious topics such as Article 370, police verification, and PSA detentions in the current political climate.
