Omar promises to start law university classes in Budgam, BJP alleges poll code breach

The setting up of a National Law University is still at the proposal stage and was announced by Chief Minister Omar during the Budget session of the Assembly. On Wednesday, Congress legislator Nizam-ud-din Bhat brought a resolution urging the government to initiate the process to establish the National Law University at Srinagar.

During the discussion, legislators pressed the government to set up the university in their respective constituencies. BJP legislator R. S. Pathania said the decision on location should be left to the Centre and other stakeholders.

Responding to the discussion, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Law portfolio, said they were already working on the proposal. Omar said that while it would take years to establish the campus, classes would have to begin from rented accommodation.

“We had planned a software technology park at Ompora Budgam (close to the Srinagar airport) but the Air Force objected to it, saying the dishes (antennas) will interfere with their communication. These are beautiful buildings and are vacant,” Omar said. “We think we would temporarily start the classes there. If we get some better accommodation, we will also look into that.”

Earlier, the Assembly saw an uproar over comments made by BJP’s Kishtwar legislator Shagun Parihar. “In Kishtwar, we are Hindu nationalists and we are being neglected, no work is being done,” Parihar said during Zero Hour.

The National Conference and other legislators took exception to her remarks, accusing her of communalising the speech. As members erupted in anger, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and asked Parihar to use “measured and disciplined” language. “You are a first-time MLA. You have big things to achieve,” Rather told her. “(You) must focus on hard work and constructive discussion.”

Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone and Communist leader M. Y. Tarigami also urged the government to shift ailing separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah from Tihar Jail to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Budgam Assembly bypoll was prompted by Omar’s resignation from here. Omar had won both the Budgam and Ganderbal seats in last year’s assembly polls but decided to retain the latter.