'National Flag Won't Be Safe...': J&K Assembly Speaker's Stern Warning Over Withdrawing Security Of NC's Kashmir Office
The withdrawing of ruling NC's Srinagar office security has drawn a sharp reaction from Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, reports Amir Tantray.
By ETV Bharat Jammu & Kashmir Team
Published : March 31, 2026 at 5:10 PM IST
Jammu: "How the National flag will remain safe when its holders are unsafe," claimed Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Tuesday over withdrawing security of National Conference's head office in Srinagar.
Rather was speaking after NC MLAs raised the issue of withdrawing security of Nawa-i-Subh by the Lieutenant Governor's administration besides withdrawing escort security of Kashmir based MLAs.
The Speaker said that there was a “historic aspect” linked to the NC office, he said, can't be ignored. "Those who have gone through it can understand it but we don't have to take it casually,” he said.
Pointing to the recent attack on NC President Farooq Abdullah in Jammu, Rather said, “Being NC president he has to visit the party office as well but if the security will not be there it will be a threat to him and everybody”.
"We are the holders of the national flag and if the holders of the flag are not safe, how can the flag be safe?," he added.
The Speaker asked concerned authorities to review the security of the leaders and categorize it as per the merit. "We are not speaking against LG but the system and it has been found that merit is not being followed, which is not good," the Speaker said.
Earlier, NC MLAs Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Nazir Ahmed Khan Gurezi and Salman Sagar, and Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat raised the issue and said that withdrawing security of NC office was unfortunate as the party had given lots of sacrifices in the past.
"If anything unfortunate happens like an attack on the office and somebody is killed the LG will be responsible for it," Gurezi said.
Nizamuddin Bhat said that the risk was to “every life and every party runs the risk”. “The security is given from the state exchequer as J&K is a welfare state and there is commitment to protect life."
The situation turned ugly when Peoples Conference's MLA Sajad Lone objected to NC MLAs speaking on the security aspect which, he said, was not under the purview of the Assembly.
"When we try to bring such issues in the House which is not in our domain, we are not allowed but why are NC MLAs being allowed to raise the security issue. I live without a house guard and when I had to attend the funeral of my father, you didn't provide me with security. NC MLAs shouldn't politicise the security and try to be a martyr," Lone said.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary objected to Lone's statement and said, "You live in the house of a Cabinet minister and should leave it."
Reacting to it, Lone said, "When they used to term us the B-team of BJP, imagine how much risk there was for our life."
His remarks were countered by NC MLA Javed Hassan Baig who hit out at the PC President, "The killing of Sajad Lone's father was the loss of whole Jammu and Kashmir but it doesn't behove him to start crying on the issue again and again. Shun this womanish attitude and rise above the personal life."
Baig said that the government of India was not restoring statehood citing more work to be done to improve the security situation adding that withdrawing security of NC office was unfortunate. “LG should do justice while occupying the ruler's chair," Baig said.
The NC legislator also accused LG Sinha of serving the agenda of BJP and RSS. “If you withdraw our security, then withdraw the security of BJP and RSS offices and also of BJP MLAs," he said.
BJP MLA Surjit Singh Slathia said that withdrawing security was the concern of everybody across party lines and should be reviewed.
PDP MLA Rafiq Ahmed Naik said, "God is the ultimate saviour, have faith in him. Even if you are under high security, you can still be killed but if God wants to save you nobody can kill you."
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