Srinagar, Oct 23 (JKNS): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday addressed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly during the obituary references, paying homage to several late leaders and legislators while proposing a reform in the way such proceedings are conducted.
CM Omar as per news agency JKNS paid tributes to former Governor Satya Pal Malik, Gulchain Singh Charak, Dina Nath Bhagat, Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, Ramesh Arora, and Muhammad Akhlaq Khan, saying their public service “will be remembered with respect and gratitude.”
Speaking about late Satya Pal Malik, he said, “As the Speaker mentioned, he not only served Jammu and Kashmir but also Bihar, and held additional charge of Odisha. He even served as a minister at the Centre. In history, everyone has a paragraph written about them — Malik Sahab’s too will be there. Though our views may have differed, we all acknowledge that his intentions were for the good.”
Referring to the omission of former Langate MLA Muhammad Sultan Panditpori’s name from the obituary list, Omar Abdullah expressed regret and sought accountability from the Kupwara administration. “I hope the Chief Secretary has heard this. There should be an explanation from the district if they were asked for the information — why was his name missing? He was a known personality, remained connected to public life till the end. His name deserved to be included, and I apologize for this oversight,” he said.
The Chief Minister then proposed revising the Assembly’s obituary reference procedure. “When I was in Parliament, the obituary references used to involve long speeches after the Speaker’s reading, taking up an entire day. Later, it was decided that the Speaker alone would read the references, and members would stand in silence for a minute. I think we should follow that system here too,” Omar said.
“Sometimes, bitter exchanges occur during these solemn proceedings — it’s better to prevent that. The Speaker should read the names, and we should all observe a moment of silence together,” he added.
Concluding the discussion, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather assured the House that the suggestion would be considered and invited all members to stand for one minute of silence in honor of the departed leaders. (JKNS)
