BJP walks out of J&K assembly amid demands over apology from CM Omar Abdullah

JAmmu and cashmere gathering witnessed a monumental uproar for the sequentially daytime on Wednesday as members of the Bharatiya Janata Party walked out of the House in protest after demanding an apology from chief minister Omar Abdullah for his "unparliamentary" remarks against them.Just as the House assembled, BJP legislator Sham Lal Sharma stood up and demanded that Abdullah should apologise or that the speaker issue a statement in the absence of the Leader of the House, news agency PTI reported.Abdullah, however, made a brief appearance in the assembly, moved a bill and left the premises immediately even as BJP members kept protesting. After the CM left, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma asked the Speaker Abdul Rahim why the Leader of the House "ran away".The Speaker told Sharma that when the BJP staged a walkout, the issue was 'closed'. "Now, why are you reviving the issue again? It can't be revived," Rahim said.Sharma asked how long the CM will avoid the BJP in the House. The Speaker asked whether the leaders would stage another walkout, a question which was then followed by intense sloganeering from the Opposition.Speaker Abdul Rahim also tried to convince the BJP leaders to allow the Question Hour to proceed, asking them to take up the matter when the CM is present in the House.Meanwhile, state health minister Sakeena Itoo accused the BJP members of using unparliamentary language as well, especially against deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary.Choudhary suggested that the chair examine all the unparliamentary words used in the House from both sides, expunge those from the records and let the proceedings continue without any disruptions.Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Sunil Sharma, however, rejected Choudhary's suggestions and did not budge from the party's demands.Sharma later led the BJP members' walkout, chanting slogans like "derogatory Sarkar haye haye, unparliamentary sarkar haye haye" besides "Bharat Mata ki Jai".While demanding CM Abdullah's apology, the BJP leaders even stormed the well of the House, staged a sit-in, and carried placards seeking the apology. What were Omar Abdullah's 'remarks'?Earlier on Tuesday, while wrapping up a discussion on the Union Territory's budget, CM Omar Abdullah said that the India-US trade deal would adversely impact one of Jammu and Kashmir's economic mainstays - horticulture.“Few members praised the US trade deal here, but I am still trying to figure out how it is going to benefit J&K. You (BJP government) may have safeguarded the seafood industry of Kerala, but allowing zero duty access to tree-nuts and dry fruit from the US will impact walnut, almond dry fruit growers here,” he said.He said the deal guarantees zero-duty access to US fruits. "At least, the Centre should have safeguarded apple... This is purely a Sauda (deal)," Abdullah said in the House.The chief minister also made some remarks against the BJP members following their repeated disruptions in his speech. Following this, the BJP MLAs stood up and demanded an apology from him.While speaking to reporters later in the day, Abdullah ruled out apologising to the BJP members for his remarks.“I was willing to withdraw and rephrase if allowed to speak at the time, but I was not given the opportunity. It’s on the record now. When they (BJP) didn’t let me speak, there was no need to apologise,” he had said.Meanwhile, LoP Sunil Sharma said that Tuesday's proceedings would be written in "dark letters". He said that the CM "crossed the line of ethics and morality", adding that it had never happened before.Sharma also said that the BJP MLAs will not let the House function till CM Abdullah takes back his words and tenders an unconditional apology.(with inputs from Ravi Krishnan Khajuria)