One MLC absent, NC motion against Dar defeated

The PDP-Congress coalition averted a political crisis when National Conference’s no-confidence motion against Legislative Council chair...

The PDP-Congress coalition averted a political crisis when National Conference’s no-confidence motion against Legislative Council chairman Abdul Rashid Dar—whom they accused of sabotaging the contentious J-K Women Bill—was defeated by a solitary vote.

Dar, originally from the NC, was shown the door by the party when he was accused of killing the Bill. Today the NC’s narrow defeat was ensured by its own legislator, Nizam-ud-din Khatana, who was absent. NC leader Abdul Qayoom said the party feared Khatana had been kidnapped to stop him from voting against Dar.

This vote precedes the re-introduction of the Bill by the NC which has vowed to fight over the issue that ‘‘is important for the exclusive and special status of the state.’’

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The NC had to face embarrassment when Dar accused its leadership of subverting the Bill in the March session of the Upper House days after the J-K Assembly had passed it by majority vote. Dar said the NC was never interested in the Bill and was only misusing it for its selfish political ends. ‘‘They needlessly made me a scapegoat. I kept the Bill alive by adjourning the House and not putting it to vote because the NC MLCs would remain absent on crucial sessions,’’ he said. The NC leadership had even charged Dar with taking bribe from the Congress and BJP.

Though the NC and PDP-Congress coalition were tied at 14 votes, Council vice-chairmam P. Namgyal voted against the motion in the House that comprises 30 members.

The J-K Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill has been at the centre of discussions since the PDP tabled it in the March session of the J-K legislature. The Bill debars women marrying outside the state from claiming permanent residentship of J-K.

Today’s setback notwithstanding, the NC which is eyeing its traditional Kashmir base, is adamant on re-introducing the Bill, although with some changes. The NC will use the Bill to expose the chinks between the PDP, a Kashmir-centric party, which wants the bill to pass and the Congress that is fundamentally opposed to it as ‘‘it does not address the domicile concerns and comes in a way of national integration.’’