The tide seems to be turning against People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator and former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, against whom 12 Congress and National Conference (NC) members brought a privilege motion, after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gave a clean chit to chief minister Omar Abdullah.
The CBI, in a letter to Jammu & Kashmir legislative assembly secretary Mohammad Ramzan, stated that Omar’s name does not figure in the list of accused in the sex scandal case chargesheet.
Nine chargesheets were filed against 17 accused, the superintendent of police, CBI, New Delhi, stated. There was pandemonium in the assembly soon after the speaker announced that the CBI had given a clean chit to Omar. PDP legislators shouted slogans against the CBI and demanded a judicial probe.
“The CBI is covering up. The CBI is covering up… We demand a judicial probe… 102 (Omar) ko pesh karo (present 102),” shouted Mehbooba Mufti, with her legislators in tow. She waved a file but did not reveal its contents.
Beigh tried to respond to the CBI report but NC members did not permit him. There was chaos in the assembly and nothing could be heard in the din. Amid the ruckus, speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone announced the receipt and admission of a privilege motion against Beigh for levelling allegations against the CM in violation of proper procedures and business rules. The speaker said the assembly would continue business, as the governor had informed him that Omar will continue to run the government.
“The governor has not accepted the resignation yet. He is collecting necessary documents for making a final decision,” he said. But this did not calm the situation, prompting the speaker to adjourn the house for 15 minutes, which was again extended till 3pm. The speaker went ahead with business, though the PDP tried to stall proceedings and its members walked out of the house.
