Rajya Sabha MP Nazir Ahmad Laway has been suspended from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) citing anti-party activities. According to the party spokesperson, the disciplinary action was initiated against Ahmad after he subverted party leadership by attending the swearing-in ceremony of GC Murmu, the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor (LG) of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory. The PDP has been at loggerheads with the Union Government of India ever since the latter abrogated Article 370, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its separate status.
The spokesperson informed that the basic membership of Rajya Sabha MP Mr Nazir Ahmed Laway has been cancelled following Mr Laway’s participation in the Srinagar event was in violation of the party’s stand about the current political situation and annulment of Article 370. GC Murmu was sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor of the newly carved out union territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
Many opposition leaders and trouble makers were put under preventive custody following the August 5 order of repealing Article 370. Mehbooba Mufti, the PDP chief, too was held under detention, as a part of security arrangement to contain the possible anarchy caused by the move. Other opposition leaders such as Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Hurriyat leaders were also put under house arrest to control the backlash in the state.
This is not the first time that Laway had acted against the party directives. Prior to this, Laway had once again gone against the top leadership of the PDP when he abstained from voting on the controversial Triple Talaq Bill, which passed through opposition-dominated Rajya Sabha. Mehbooba had expressed her disappointment at her MPs failing to vote against the bill that sought to end the draconian practice of Muslim men instantly divorcing their wives by uttering “talaq” thrice.
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Laway had also torn a copy of the Indian Constitution along with PDP MP Mir Mohammad Fayaz, on August 5, after the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the upper house.