Budget session likely to start on stormy note

Thursday, 23 02 2012 10:09

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Srinagar, Feb 22: People of Jammu and Kashmir are likely to witness some political fireworks in coming days as the opposition all set to corner the government during the month-long Budget session of the state legislature beginning in Jammu Thursday.
While the issues like corruption and custodial death of National Conference worker are already there for generating heat, the new recruitment policy and demand for revoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act are also likely to be raised strongly by the opposition members who are expected to protest alleged regional discrimination.
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party has decided to ‘gherao’ the Assembly premises to demand dismissal of the NC-Congress coalition government.
The session, which will start with the customary address of Governor N N Vohra to the joint sitting of the State Assembly and Council, might witness uproar by JKNPP, PDP, BJP and CPI(M) members on issues like NC worker Yousuf Shah's custodial death and alleged involvement of some ministers in corruption cases.
"There are lots of issues - from corruption to failure of governance on all fronts - and we will raise them vociferously," a PDP spokesman said.
Meanwhile, NC chief Farooq Abdullah today appealed to the opposition not to disrupt the session, saying the government would "facilitate holding of discussions".
"Seeking answers and grilling the government is the democratic right of the opposition and nobody is stopping them," he told reporters here.
Yesterday Chief Minister Omar had also said that he expects some fireworks also he had also maintained that there was "no issue" which his government was not willing to discuss.
"There is no subject that is off the table. We only hope that House is allowed to function and people's genuine concerns are addressed," he had said.