‘History will read what was said inside’: Sajad Lone slams ‘theatrics’ as J&K Speaker rejects key amendments

The four that were accepted pertained to daily wagers, the status and location of the proposed National Law University (NLU) in Kashmir, and a “strong, explicit condemnation of attacks on Kashmiris, along with clarity on the State Government’s engagement with other states on the issue”, he said.

Lone’s demands for condemnation of attacks on Kashmiris have come amid instances of Kashmiri shawl sellers being targeted in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Responding to Lone on why his amendments were not accepted, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said the house had already passed a resolution with regard to Special Status of J&K in the first Assembly session.

“The rules of the House state that if a subject has been discussed and dealt with, it cannot be brought up again,” Rather, a senior National Conference leader, said, adding that restoration of statehood is not up to the J&K Assembly and therefore cannot to taken up in this house.

Lone also termed as “theatrics” the ruling National Conference’s public protests against Sinha, arguing that “the Assembly floor, not demonstrations outside, constitutes the enduring record of accountability”.

“History will read what was said and decided inside the House,” he remarked, adding that the real test of conviction lies in voting on the amendments. If passed, he explained, the matter would return to the LG’s office for redrafting, reinforcing the constitutional pathway rather than street posturing.

Regarding the controversy surrounding the NLU with the BJP demanding a separate one for Jammu, the Handwara MLA clarified that despite its nomenclature, the NLU was a state university, approved by the Cabinet in 2018. He also noted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s promise on its location, arguing that the project involves a modest outlay and should not be politicised.

On the absence of daily wagers in the original address, Lone said the omission was precisely why amendments were moved. “Let the House vote,” he said, “and then it will be clear who truly stands with them.”