Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu,(DD): The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges today as the issue of protesting daily wagers led to a clash between the treasury benches and the opposition.
As soon as the Question Hour concluded, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma pressed the government for a response on the ongoing strike of daily wagers. “I raised this issue yesterday as well, but the government has remained silent. A statement must be made on the matter,” he demanded.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary criticized the BJP for failing to address the concerns of daily wagers during its decade-long tenure. “We constituted a committee within days to look into their grievances. Why didn’t you (BJP) take such steps in the last 10 years?” he questioned.
The remarks led to an uproar in the House, with BJP and ruling NC-Congress members engaging in a heated exchange. Amid the commotion, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma accused the government of failing to act responsibly.
Intervening in the debate, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah noted that the BJP itself had admitted to the long-standing injustice faced by daily wagers. “I appeal to the protesting workers to end their strike. A high-level committee of Chief Secretary-led officers and bureaucrats will engage with them to find a resolution,” he assured.
Unhappy with the government’s response, BJP legislators staged a walkout in protest.(DD)