'Make India Muslim-free': Ruckus in Jammu & Kashmir Upper House over Sadhvi Prachi's statement

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council on Wednesday witnessed a ruckus over the controversial statement of VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi that "it is time to make India free of Muslims", even as the state government termed the remarks as wrong. 

Sadhvi had yesterday claimed that the mission of a Congress-free India has already been "accomplished" and it is now time to rid the country of Muslims. As soon as the House met this morning, opposition National Conference (NC) MLC Shehnaz Ganai raised the issue, demanding that the Council condemn Prachi's statement. 

Ganai was supported by her party colleagues and members from Congress. The members from the treasury benches belonging to Jammu region entered into an argument with the opposition legislators, even as Legislative Council chairman Anayat Ali asked the members to calm down and raise the issue during Zero Hour. As the pandemonium continued, Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar stood up and said the country was incomplete without Muslims. "The report has been carried by newspapers. Whosoever said it, it is wrong. Muslims are a part of the country and it is incomplete without them," Akhtar said. 

The minister said Muslims have to live in the country as equal stakeholders. There is no need to divide this House. "Our state has many problems and we want to grapple them, so please allow us. We should not be provoked into a divisive tit for tat match. We all have to live in this country as equal stake-holders," he said.