Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD) The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed a stormy session as the ruling NC-Congress alliance and the opposition BJP clashed over allegations of misuse of public funds on chartered flights. The heated exchange led to chaos in the House, with members from both sides engaging in a prolonged argument.
During the Question Hour, MLA Shopian Shabir Kulley raised the issue, questioning the Rs 14 crore expenditure on chartered flights and demanding a House Committee investigation. He alleged that public money was being wasted without proper accountability.
NC-Congress legislators backed the demand for a probe, insisting that transparency was necessary to justify such spending. However, BJP members strongly opposed the move, accusing the ruling alliance of playing to the galleries instead of seeking a fair inquiry. The exchange soon turned into a heated verbal battle that lasted over 10 minutes, with members from both sides hurling accusations.
As the commotion escalated, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, urging calm and maintaining order in the House. He assured the members that the Chief Minister would address the issue during his reply to the discussion on grants at 3:30 PM today, offering further clarity on the expenditure.
The controversy over the chartered flight expenses has sparked a political storm, with the opposition questioning the government’s spending priorities at a time when J&K faces pressing economic and developmental challenges. The upcoming statement from the Chief Minister is expected to set the tone for further debates on government accountability and financial prudence in the Union Territory.(DD)