Jammu and Kashmir: Suspension of four NC lawmakers revoked

Srinagar: The suspension of the four National Conference lawmakers was on Wednesday revoked by the respective presiding officers of the Jammu and Kashmir's bicameral House, prompting the opposition party to end its sit-in protest over the issue.

As soon as the Lower House assembled, CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami requested Speaker Kavinder Gupta to reconsider his yesterday's decision of suspending two NC MLAs -- Altaf Wani and Abdul Majid -- for the remainder of the session.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also intervene and asked the Speaker to reconsider the decision.

"To oppose, depose and expose is the role of the opposition. I request you to reconsider the decision. I also request the opposition leader Omar (Abdullah) sahib to come back to the house," Sayeed said.

Sayeed "congratulated" the Speaker for the way he handled the situation yesterday, as opposition MLAs created ruckus in the House.

"You were very patient and tolerant, but the opposition is empty," he said.

Sayeed said democracy is a battle of ideas and the elected members should raise their issues in the House.

"The House is for raising the issues. We also want discussion and debate. If we do not debate here, then where will we," he said.

Gupta then revoked the suspension of the two NC MLAs and asked Tarigami and Secretary of the Assembly Mohammad Ramzan to convey this decision to protesting MLAs, who were on a sit-in at the Assembly complex entrance.

Later, a similar sequence of events was repeated in the Upper House where the suspension of NC MLCs Showkat Ahmad Zargar and Ali Mohammad Dar was revoke by Chairman Anayat Ali.

Although the National Conference announced the end of its boycott of both the Houses, its lawmakers did not attend the proceedings in either of them today.