Updated on

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30 Oct 2025, 6:41 am

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today witnessed pandemonium and uproar as BJP members demanded a detailed discussion on the devastating floods in the Union Territory that occurred in August this year.  The house witnessed heated exchanges, sloganeering, and chaos as opposition members accused the government of neglecting flood victims.

The commotion began shortly after the Question Hour commenced, when Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma stood up to press for a discussion on the recent floods.

Sharma said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had suffered enormous losses during the calamity and expected their elected representatives to highlight their plight in the Assembly.

 “We demanded that there should be discussion on it. You also assured us that the members can raise their issues during discussion on the resolution in the house. One resolution did not come up for discussion yesterday while time was exhausted for another resolution due to lengthy speeches by members,” Sharma alleged in the house today.

Calling the floods a matter of “grave public concern,” Sharma alleged that the government was showing indifference to the suffering of people. “People are watching us and pinning hopes on us to raise their issues in the Assembly. But unfortunately, it seems the government is least bothered about the issue”.

According to Sharma, a BJP member had brought an adjournment motion to discuss the floods in J&K. “But unfortunately the Speaker disallowed the adjournment motion. You have not only disallowed our adjournment motion but you have thrown the expectations of the flood victim people in a dustbin, which is very unfortunate and sad”. “If the government is not serious, then we will stage a walk-out,” he said.

Responding to the LoP’s allegations, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather clarified that he had not disallowed the motion but had only asked the member to raise the issue after the Question Hour. “I did not disallow the discussion. I only said it can be taken up later in the day,” the Speaker maintained.

However, the Speaker's clarification failed to pacify the BJP legislators.

All BJP members rose from their seats, shouting slogans and demanding an immediate debate on the floods. The noisy protests were met with counter-slogans from members of the treasury benches, who accused the BJP of disrupting proceedings and wasting the Assembly’s time.

The ruling NC members asked the BJP lawmakers to maintain decorum and allow the Speaker to manage the schedule. “When the Speaker has already said that discussion will take place, why are you creating noise?” the NC members asked amid the uproar.

As the sloganeering from both sides continued, the protesting BJP members took into the well of the house to raise their voice and demand discussion on the bill.

The marshalls in the house marshalled out a BJP member from the house who attempted to climb the table in the well.  

Despite the continued sloganeering, the Speaker pressed on with the Question Hour, instructing members to proceed with their listed questions.

The pandemonium, however, showed no signs of abating, as the BJP members continued their protest inside the House, demanding that the government hold an urgent discussion on the flood situation.