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Srinagar : Former MLA Kupwara and Chief Spokesperson of the J&K Peoples Conference Advocate Bashir Ahmad Dar has written a strongly worded letter to the Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly, raising alarm over what he described as “systematic assault” on the very institution of MLA.
In the letter, Adv. Bashir expressed deep concern over the arrest of sitting MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and recalled the “unprecedented and shameful” physical assault on Malik inside the Assembly premises.
“The institution of MLA is being rapidly eroded. As someone who has been an MLA myself, it pains me to see this decline. The arrest of a sitting legislator under PSA is not just about one individual — it is a question of the Assembly’s dignity. The Speaker has a duty to step outside the box and safeguard the sanctity of this institution,” he wrote.
PC Cheif Spokesperson stressed that while the Assembly may not directly control the Home Department but nothing prevents it from taking a stand. “Disapproval by the Legislature is disapproval by the masses. It is imperative that such disapproval is voiced unambiguously,” he added.
He also reminded the Speaker that Malik had earlier been physically attacked inside the Assembly premises. “For the first time since 1947, non-MLAs assaulted an MLA inside the premises of the J&K Legislature. Shockingly, no punitive measures were taken. This was not a scuffle during proceedings, but a calculated assault outside session hours, a historic violation of legislative sanctity,” he wrote.
He questioned the Speaker’s silence on both issues, calling it “disheartening” and “a dangerous precedent” urging him to order an investigation into how non-MLAs gained access to the Assembly premises to assault a sitting legislator, and why no accountability followed.
Drawing a line between political disagreements and targeted violence, Advocate Bashir said: “There is a world of difference between heated exchanges during a session and a cowardly, vicious attack on a lone MLA when the House is not in progress. If we fail to uphold our dignity, we cannot expect others to treat us with dignity.”
Defending Malik, Adv. Bashir suggested his grassroots rise was the reason behind the targeting. “Had he been an elitist, establishment-driven politician, nobody would have dared lay a finger on him or slap PSA against him,” he wrote.
Adv. Bashir appealed to the Speaker to take decisive steps to restore public faith in the Assembly. “I implore you to take a firm stance to ensure that the legislature addresses the implications of the PSA and that the administrative system identifies the MLAs who participated in the attack and the non-MLAs who assaulted an MLA inside the premise,” he stated.
He expressed hope that the Speaker would act with proportionality and firmness, ensuring that the Legislative Assembly does not lose its sheen, stressing that this institution must never be allowed to crumble.
