The issue of Army recruitment not open for Muslims had been raised by the CPM member, Mr M.Y. Tarigami, during the zero hour in the Assembly today. Mr Tarigami displayed a newspaper report informing the House that in the press release issued by the Ministry of Defence had stated that recruitment for the Army will be held at Akhnoor through open rally on April 21 and it had been categorically mentioned that “no vacancy for Muslims and tradesmen categories.”

He was supported by the BSP member, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, who said that it was unfortunate that recruitment in the Army was being done on communal considerations. When he alleged that the NDA government was “communal” and had violated the very spirit of the secular character of the Constitution, the BJP members protested. There were exchange of hot words between the BJP and those belonging the Congress and the BSP.

The Congress members joined the chorus when Sheikh Abdul Rehman shouted “Firka Parasti Murdabad” (Down with communalism).

Dr Abdullah pacified the agitated members when he announced that he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister and to begin with fax a letter to him so that the decision was reversed.

The Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, warned the members and suggested to them to maintain decorum of the House. He asked the BJP member, Mr Ashok Khajuria, to observe restraint and avoid making a press advertisement an issue.

Earlier the House witnessed noisy scenes when the Congress members including Mr Ashok Sharma, Mr Balbir Singh, Lal Singh, were on their feet demanding permission from the Speaker for a discussion on the shawl scandal three days back the speaker had rejected an adjournment motion saying the issue regarding the distribution of Pak-made shawls by the Union Minister of state for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, could not be discussed in the House as Mr Gupta was not a member and could not defend himself.

The Congress members drew the attention of the Speaker to a similar incident in Bihar where the distribution of shawls by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Sharad Yadav, was discussed in the Bihar Assembly. Mr Ashok Sharma wanted to know then why the matter could not be discussed in the Assembly here.

The issue generated much heat and again the Congress members supported by Mr Som Nath of the BSP and Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party had a wordy duels with the BJP members. Mr Lal Singh and Mr Ashok Sharma were seen gesticulating to BJP member, Mr Ashok Khajuria.

In a reply to a question the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, assured the House that after the current panchayat elections were completed the government would, through a Governor’s ordinance, ament the Panchayat Act so that women belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe got reservation in the Panchayat Committees.

The Chief Minister suggested to all members to send suggestions on the pattern required to be adopted for amending the Panchayat Raj Act.

During his visit to Teheran Mr Vajpayee is expected to discuss the oil pipeline issue following New Delhi’s insistence that the line be laid via Afghanistan and not Pakistan, despite Islamabad’s assurance that it would welcome the pipeline passing through its territory.

But besides this issue continued militancy in Jammu and Kashmir would figure during the talks and Mr Vajpayee has selected Dr Dr Abdullah to enable him to explain to the Iranian leaders the extent of damage Pakistan sponsored terrorism had caused in the Muslim dominated Kashmir valley.

Dr Dr Abdullah is likely to discuss the growing threat to Kashmir’s security from the Afgan guerrillas who with the help of Pakistani agencies, had strings of terrorism in their hands in the valley.