JAMMU — A scuffle broke out between BJP members and AAP MLA Mehraj Malik in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly premises on Wednesday after he allegedly made some objectionable remarks.
The lone AAP legislator was also involved in a heated exchange with PDP members led by Arif Amin, who were present outside the House, after they objected to his remarks against former chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, prompting the security personnel to intervene to prevent a physical clash.
Malik criticised the police for allowing PDP workers inside the Assembly complex and asserted he was a leader and “could say anything deems fit”.
“The Superintendent of Police should arrest PDP workers who assaulted me,” Malik told the security staff.
“Whatever I said, I will not retreat from it. He (Sayeed) is a traitor to me,” he told reporters here.
He also accused the police of acting like PDP conduits and alleged that they had failed to take action against those who should have been arrested for “assaulting” an MLA.
Tensions flared up again as the BJP MLAs accused Mehraj Malik of making derogatory remarks against Hindus during media interactions.
Malik and BJP members, who were on the scene, entered into a verbal altercation over his remarks.
BJP MLAs led by Vikram Randhawa and Yudhvir Sethi were involved in a scuffle with the AAP MLA. However, he was escorted along with two workers inside the lobby of the Assembly.
In the lobby, Mehraj told the BJP MLAs present there that their party legislators had attacked him and the two sides again started jostling. They were promptly stopped by Marshals. In the melee, Mehraj Malik slipped and fell on a glass table, which shattered.
He again stood up to confront BJP members and MLA Vijay Sharma’s shirt was torn in the clash.
Abuses and barbs were hurled from both sides as the ugly scenes unfolded in the legislative assembly complex.
Malik was later escorted into the House by the Watch and Ward staff, accompanied by NC members.
BJP members attempted to charge at him again when he was being taken into the House but were restrained after intervention by some NC members and the security staff.
“PDP and BJP are together in this war against me. I do not want anyone’s support. I will sit in the House and seek a reply from the Speaker,” Malik said in the House.
The BJP members claimed that Malik had used unparliamentary language against Hindus.
The security staff deployed at the assembly removed everyone including media persons from the building, except for the MLAs, and locked most of the gates, apparently the first such instance.
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa lashed out at Malik, demanding strict action against him and even invoking the Public Safety Act (PSA).
“We cannot tolerate him. He used derogatory words. He is always abusing Hindus. We will not tolerate this… He said ‘Hindu tilak laga ke rape karta hai’… We will give him an answer. He says Hindus are drunkards. They drink in families and functions,” Randhawa told reporters.
Leader of opposition Sunil Sharma said Malik has “lowered the parliamentary standards by behaving like a ruffian”.
“I have moved a breach of privilege against him in the House regarding his remarks on Hindus with regard to liquor, but nothing was done,” he said, adding, “If you hurt the feelings of Hindus now, you will not only be taken to task in the Assembly but will be confronted on the streets too. No one will tolerate this nonsense.”
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the BJP.
“BJP’s attack on Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik is highly condemnable. This shows BJP’s frustration. Malik was only raising questions of the public. BJP cannot stop the voice of the public,” he said on X.
The security staff also evicted PDP leader Arif Amin from the Assembly complex.
Speaking to reporters, Malik alleged, “Some PDP people came to attack me and started arguing with me — that too inside the Assembly premises. BJP MLAs came in their support. The fight was started by the PDP people, and BJP MLAs joined in their support.”
On allegations of using derogatory words against former chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, he said, “He has died (Mufti Mar Gaya) — what wrong did I say? If Modi talks about Muslims, that’s okay — but if I speak about Hindus, suddenly I am wrong?”
“What wrong did I say when I pointed out that liquor shops were opened in a temple town? What is wrong in saying that if you are bringing a bill for Muslims, then bring one for Hindus too — what is the issue with that?”
“If so many people come in a mob to attack Mehraj, let me be clear — I am not afraid of these people. Let them not be under any illusion that they can scare Mehraj — I am not someone who gets scared,” he added.
However, he evaded responding to allegations levelled against him by PDP leaders. — (PTI)