Chaos in J&K assembly as BJP MLA's remark sparks row

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly erupted into pandemonium today after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shagun Parihar sparked outrage by referring to locals in her Kishtwar constituency as "Rashtrawadi Hindu log" during a debate on regional development issues. Parihar, a first-time legislator, was highlighting alleged neglect in Kishtwar when she stated, "In our Kishtwar, we are Rashtrawadi Hindu log and we are being neglected; no work is being done." The remark, which blended nationalist ("Rashtrawadi") and religious ("Hindu") identifiers, immediately drew sharp objections from National Conference (NC) members, who accused her of injecting communal rhetoric into an official discussion.

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National Conference legislators rose in protest, chanting slogans and demanding that the comments be expunged from the records. “This is a blatant violation of the House's secular ethos,” one NC MLA shouted amid the din, as others pressed for immediate disciplinary action.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened swiftly, appealing for calm and assuring the House that any statement undermining its dignity or secular principles would not stand. “Maintain decorum; we are here for constructive dialogue,” he urged, before counselling Parihar directly: “You are a first-time MLA with big goals ahead. Focus on hard work and disciplined language in your address.” The uproar, which disrupted proceedings for several minutes, eventually subsided following repeated appeals from the Chair, allowing the session to resume.