J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J&K ASSEMBLY
Walkout by NC members
Jammu, November 25
Pandemonium prevailed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today as the National Conference (NC) members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the ruling of the Speaker, Mr Tara Chand, rejecting the adjournment motion on the terrorist attack on the famous Raghunath Temple here yesterday.

Mufti’s healing touch theory crashes
Jammu, November 25
The lenient policy adopted towards terrorists by the PDP-Congress coalition government has come under severe criticism as Jammu town echoed with explosions and cross-firing between security forces and terrorists last evening. The indiscriminate release of terrorists from prisons by the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is being criticised by cross-sections of the society.

Video

Tourists in Jammu start leaving following the temple attack. (28k, 56k)

J&K ASSEMBLY
Walkout by NC members
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 25
Pandemonium prevailed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today as the National Conference (NC) members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the ruling of the Speaker, Mr Tara Chand, rejecting the adjournment motion on the terrorist attack on the famous Raghunath Temple here yesterday.

They staged a walkout as the Speaker refused to review his decision and oblige them.

The NC members rejected the decision of the Speaker to allow a discussion on the terrorist incident, but not on the basis of the adjournment motion.

The BJP member, Mr Jugal Kishore and the JSM member, Mr Ashwani Sharma, also joined the NC members in their protest. However, they entered the well of the House separately after the NC members had walked out.

The Opposition members demanded that the normal business should be suspended and the incident of terrorism be discussed after which the Chief Minister, Mr Mufti Sayeed, could give his statement on the issue. They said that instead of sticking to the technicalities the Speaker should accept their demand as the matter was very serious.

Mr Manjeet Singh (BSP) urged the Chief Minister to immediately go in for overhaul of the administration as most of the bureaucrats and police officers were loyal to the previous National Conference regime.

The Congress members, Mr Taj Mohiuddin, Mr Raman Bhalla and Mr Yogesh Sawhney alleged that terrorism in the state had spread because of the weak policies of the National Conference government.

In his statement on yesterday’s incident, Mr Mufti Sayeed charged Pakistan of continuing its policy of cross-border terrorism and unleashing terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the operation against the terrorists culminated at the Panjbakhtar Temple at 10 am today. The operation at the Raghunath Temple ended yesterday night. The Lashkar-e-Toiba has claimed the responsibility of the attack in which 13 persons have been killed and 52 injured.

Mufti’s healing touch theory crashes
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 25
The lenient policy adopted towards terrorists by the PDP-Congress coalition government has come under severe criticism as Jammu town echoed with explosions and cross-firing between security forces and terrorists last evening. The indiscriminate release of terrorists from prisons by the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is being criticised by cross-sections of the society.

This is the second time in the past six months that terrorists have entered the historic Raghunath Temple in the heart of the town and exploded IEDs and grenades in the main bazar.

The issue is likely to rock the Assembly as a special session is being held here these days.

As things stand today, the healing touch theory of the Mufti has crashed to the ground as the terrorists are striking at their will in busy market places in Srinagar and here for the past four days. They shot dead seven security personnel in the busy street at Srinagar on Friday, followed by an explosion in a bus carrying military personnel and their families. Yesterday’s attack at Raghunath Temple has exposed the laxity of the security forces. The Chief Minister’s official residence is situated on the other end of the road where the temple is situated.

The state police had been claiming that the security in and around the temple had been tightened after the terrorist attack at Akshardham Temple in Ahmedabad.

The Mufti has been criticised for releasing hardcore terrorists soon after taking over the reins of the state government earlier this month. Some members of his coalition partner, the Congress, have also strongly criticised his action.