Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged assault on party MLA Nizam-ud-din Bhat by some National Conference workers. The incident occurred during an official meeting in Bandipora on Friday.
Details of the alleged assault
According to Bhat, the Congress MLA from Bandipora, Jalal Akbar Lone—brother of Sonawari MLA Hilal Akbar Lone—along with his supporters, disrupted a meeting convened to review development works and fund utilization in the constituency. Bhat alleged that the group resorted to hooliganism, vandalized the hall, and threatened officials. He claimed they attempted to physically assault him during the disturbance.
Congress leader condemns breach of norms
Karra termed the incident as “unfortunate” and condemned the alleged manhandling of the party MLA by NC workers. In his letter to the chief minister, he stated that the incident is “a serious departure from democratic norms and against the very spirit of ‘alliance dharma’.” He emphasized that while political differences are natural in a democracy, there can never be justification for intimidation or physical confrontation.
“The fact that such an incident involved constituents of the ruling alliance makes it even more unfortunate and raises serious concerns about mutual respect among alliance partners,” Karra said.
Call for impartial probe and intervention
Karra sought the chief minister’s personal intervention and an impartial probe to ensure strict action against those responsible. He noted that elected representatives in the Union Territory already function under a challenging “dual-control” administrative mechanism, making it essential for all democratic forces to work together to safeguard the dignity of elected institutions.
He expressed hope that timely intervention by the chief minister would restore confidence among alliance partners and uphold the principles of alliance dharma. “Any recurrence of such incidents, or any attempt to justify them, would only weaken the trust and goodwill that are indispensable for the smooth functioning of the coalition and the larger democratic mandate entrusted by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he cautioned.
