Ruckus in Lower House over street lights distribution

‘Lights on political considerations’

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 11-Jun-2016

Opposition legislators Saturday created uproar in the Lower House over distribution of street lights in the state and accused the government of allotting the lights on “political considerations”. MLA Eidgah Mubarak Gul first raised the issue in the Lower House today and claimed that Srinagar Municipal Corporation had allotted street lights to defeated PDP candidate of the Eidgah constituency.“I am representing Eidgah constituency but the SMC has allotted street lights to a PDP leader. Why you gave street lights to defeated candidate of the Eidgah constituency,” Gul said, showing a purported order of allotment.Gul was supported by the NC and Congress legislators who accused the PDP-BJP government of benefitted their party leaders and workers.Opposition legislators, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Nawang Rigzin Jora, G M Saroori, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo, Shamima Firdous, Sheikh Jabbar and Pawan Gupta rose from the Opposition benches and raised anti-government slogans which created ruckus in the House and disrupted the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.The legislators shouted slogans: “RSS Sarkar hai hai, loot maar sarkaar hai hai, jooti saarkaar hai hai.”

The demanded the government should come clear on the issue.Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh denied that government had distributed street lights among the ruling parties’ workers and leaders.“You (Opposition MLAs) are making an issue out of nothing. No lights have been allotted to any individual,” he said.However, when Opposition legislators continued the protest, Speaker Kavindar Gupta intervened and directed Singh, who is also Housing and Urban Development department minister to give satisfactory reply to the legislators.Singh said the government will enquire into the matter.“These are serious allegations. We have not issued any directions that street lights should be allotted on the individual basis but for the entire constituency. We will hold any enquiry and will take appropriate action accordingly,” he said. (KNS)