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Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed high drama on Thursday as three BJP legislators were marshalled out for storming the well of the House during protests over alleged corruption in the Roads and Buildings Department and the Speaker’s refusal to admit an adjournment motion to discuss the plight of the victims of recent floods for not meeting procedural requirements.The session also featured a fiery exchange on the reservation policy, highlighting deep divisions among lawmakers.The disruption began during Question Hour when BJP MLAs demanded an immediate discussion on the recent floods that ravaged the Himalayan region particularly Jammu division. They claimed to have submitted a fresh adjournment motion on the issue, but Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather ruled it inadmissible, stating that such motions cannot be revisited once rejected.Infuriated by the decision, Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma accused the Omar Abdullah-led government of dodging accountability on the flood crisis. “Floods from heavy rains devastated every corner of Jammu and Kashmir. People expected discussions on the impacts, but none have occurred,” he said, urging the suspension of Question Hour to prioritise deliberations on the suffering of flood-affected residents.Adding fuel to the fire, Sharma waved a newspaper report highlighting alleged corruption in the Roads and Buildings Department, sparking slogans and counter-slogans between treasury benches and opposition members. The caos persisted for over half an hour.Despite the Speaker's repeated appeals for the protesters to return to their seats, the BJP MLAs persisted, shouting anti-government chants and escalating their demonstration. Three BJP legislators—RS Pathania, Sunil Bhardwaj, and Surinder Kumar—then stormed the well of the House, leading to their removal by marshals.As he walked with other BJP members out of the House, Sharma lambasted the government over irregularities in tender allotments and delays in flood relief efforts. He questioned the failure to submit a loss assessment report to the Central government following the August floods. He asserted, “In August, floods inflicted massive losses on Jammu and Kashmir, destroying poor people's homes, crops, horticultural lands, structures, and livestock. People placed their hopes in the government.” He added, “Ministers of the Indian government came here for loss assessment. The Jammu and Kashmir government was asked to submit a report. The loss assessment report has not yet been submitted to the Central government.”The opposition leader also claimed that tenders worth crores were awarded in violation of guidelines to benefit specific individuals, demanding a CBI probe and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's resignation. “A huge scam has been revealed today. Tenders worth crores of rupees have been allotted, violating all guidelines and to benefit a particular person. I’m asking, who is the MLA from that constituency? Who is the minister from that constituency? Is he a close minister to Omar Sahib?… If you have any doubts, then you should refer it to the CBI. Omar Sahib promised jobs, cylinders, rations, and electricity. What did he give in return? A scam worth crores of rupees, and this is just a sample of one division… He (Abdullah) should resign over this issue,” he added.However, later in the day, the House held a discussion on the fallout of the recent floods across J&K, with BJP members also participating.In another heated moment during Zero Hour, People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone clashed with ruling National Conference MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi over the reservation policy in public employment and education. Lone questioned the government's basis and data for reservations, revealing he had submitted two queries seeking details of the Cabinet Sub-Committee report and supporting data.“I consider reservation a serious matter. When I asked for the sub-committee report and the supporting data, there was no clear response,” Lone said. He warned that expanding reservations without proper evaluation could hinder opportunities for meritorious candidates. “If reservation had been applied earlier, would we have the doctors, engineers, and lawyers we see today? They reached those positions through open competition. Increasing reservation now will restrict talent that could represent J&K globally,” he argued.Lone called for transparency, urging the government to release data instead of evading scrutiny. He said, “Someone wants to research and analyse this issue. The government should provide data rather than block questions.”Gurezi responded sharply, accusing Lone of overlooking the hardships faced by students in remote areas like his constituency Gurez. “You studied in London, while my son studies in a school in Dawar (main town of the landlocked Gurez region) where there are no teachers,” Gurezi retorted. He highlighted the lack of basic facilities, such as science teachers, in backward regions, yet ...
