Ruckus in J&K Assembly Over NC MLA’s Remark Comparing Border Infrastructure With Pakistan
Jammu, Mar 4: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed uproar on Tuesday after National Conference (NC) MLA from Trehgam, Mir Saifullah, claimed that infrastructure along the border in Pakistan was better than in India, triggering strong objections from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators who demanded an apology and expunging of the remarks.The chaos unfolded during the Question Hour when Saifullah raised concerns about the poor connectivity of remote areas in his constituency, including Keran and Jumgund, which remain cut off during winters due to heavy snowfall. Dissatisfied with the government’s response that the Keran sector is linked through the Pharkiyan Gali road maintained by the BRO, Saifullah remarked that “facilities across the border in Pakistan are better than what we have.”The statement led to immediate protests from BJP MLAs, with Ranbir Singh Pathania asserting that “there is no comparison between Pakistan and India,” and calling the remark inappropriate for the House. BJP Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma also condemned Saifullah’s comments, intensifying the ruckus.Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather was urged to expunge the statement from the official records, while BJP members demanded a formal apology.Clarifying his remarks later, Saifullah said his words were misinterpreted. “I did not compare India and Pakistan. Both cannot be compared. India is far ahead of Pakistan,” he stated.Amid the heated exchanges, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah intervened, emphasizing that any development witnessed in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) is primarily due to Chinese assistance.”Pakistan has played no major role in that progress. Unlike them, India has not sought foreign help for the development of its border areas,” Abdullah said. “They may wear coats to show the appearance of development, but the pockets of those coats remain empty.”The Chief Minister called for a realistic assessment of the challenges in border regions while assuring that the government remains committed to improving infrastructure in remote areas.(Agencies)
