‘I Have an Ex-MLA at Home’: Pension Bill Brings Moment of Levity to Stormy J&K House

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed heated exchanges over the restoration of statehood on Tuesday.

But the stormy proceedings gave way to a brief moment of humour when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved a Bill seeking a ₹10,000 increase in the pension of former legislators. As Omar announced the pension hike, his father and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who was watching the proceedings from the VIP gallery, laughed and pointed towards himself.

“Now, it will be easy for me to go back home today,” Omar said, before adding, “I have a former MLA at home.” The remark drew laughter from members of the House, including BJP legislators, who did not oppose the pension increase.

BJP protests statehood resolution

The lighter moment came against the backdrop of a tense session over the Assembly’s resolution seeking restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, which was passed by voice vote on Monday.

Soon after the House assembled, BJP members stood up and raised slogans against the resolution as well as Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather. They demanded that Rather step down from the chair.

National Conference members responded with slogans against the BJP, including “vote chor” (vote thieves).

The exchanges intensified when BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma argued with the Speaker. Rather, a seven-time legislator, hit back, saying, “I know the law, don’t teach me.”

When Question Hour began, BJP legislators walked out of the Assembly while raising slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Speaker Sahib, Kursi Chhodo”.

Omar withdraws salary hike proposal

The Assembly also took up a Bill proposing an increase in the salary of legislators. A panel had recommended raising the monthly salary from ₹1.8 lakh to ₹3 lakh, along with changes in allowances, telephone expenses and house loans. The Bill before the House, however, proposed a ₹35,000 increase.

BJP legislators opposed the salary hike, citing public concerns over unemployment and unresolved issues involving daily-wage workers.

Omar then announced that he would withdraw the Bill.

“I was against it (salary hike). But there were demands from both sides,” Omar said, adding that he had made it clear the proposal would move only if all legislators supported it. With the BJP opposing the hike, he said he was withdrawing the Bill.

The proposed pension increase for former legislators was taken up separately and approved.

Omar, Devyani Rana spar over House rules

Another exchange took place between Omar and BJP MLA Devyani Rana after the Chief Minister responded to one of her questions.

Rana stood up to ask a supplementary question but began making a statement instead, prompting objections from the Speaker and National Conference members. The Speaker then asked another legislator to pose the question.

Omar intervened, saying Rana was a new member and might not yet be familiar with the House rules. He suggested that senior BJP leaders could help explain the procedures to her.

Rana is the daughter of former National Conference leader Devender Singh Rana, who was once a close aide of Omar Abdullah before joining the BJP.