Srinagar, Nov 08: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed a heated exchange on Friday as People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Parra defended Jamaat-e-Islami and the party’s founder, the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, against alleged “traitor” remarks made by National Conference (NC) MLA Nazir Gurezi.
Responding to the alleged comment, Parra that if there was any question of “traitors”, the label should first be applied to Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, referring to what he called a “sellout” in Kashmir’s history.
Addressing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Parra said, “This isn’t just an ordinary house; history is recorded in the assembly. We raised our voices to ensure that today’s resolution isn’t seen as surrender, betrayal, or sellout by the people, even as we supported it.”
In rebuttal, Nazir Gurezi denied making any derogatory remarks about Jamaat-e-Islami or its members. He said his statements had been misrepresented and called on the Speaker to review the record of his speech to clarify his position.
“I never said anything against Jamaat. I was simply saying that the policies of Delhi have historically used people for their own interests and then abandoned them. I did not call Jamaat members donkeys or traitors,” he added.
Gurezi urged his fellow Assembly members and the Speaker to verify his remarks, adding that he was prepared to face any consequences if his words were found to be offensive. “If I have used derogatory language, I am willing to accept action. Otherwise, I will move a privilege motion against the MLA who misrepresented my words,” Gurezi added.
