Srinagar:
A second day of chaos at the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. There were huge protests against the fact that a resolution which asks for clemency for Afzal Guru has not been taken up by the Assembly.
Mr Guru has been given the death sentence by the Supreme Court for his role in the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001.
Independent MLA Engineer Rashid moved a resolution asking for clemency for him. The move was inspired by a resolution passed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu Assembly asking for the death sentence to be commuted for three men convicted for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Taking a stand on a clemency petition for Mr Guru poses a complex political challenge for many politicians in J&K. The Congress and the ruling National Conference had asked their MLAs to vote "according to their conscience." The Congress has been accused at the centre of being soft on terror. The BJP yesterday strongly objected any move to reduce the punishment for Mr Guru. The main Opposition party - Mehbooba Mufti's PDP - supports the resolution for Mr Guru.
The Assembly witnessed complete commotion yesterday with the Congress demanding the expulsion of seven BJP members who cross-voted during the winter session. Many politicians privately admitted that different parties ensured adjournments of the House yesterday so that the controversial resolution for Mr Guru could not be considered. The resolution will have to be reintroduced in the next session. It was against this delay that Mr Rashid and others were protesting outside the House when they were led away by the police.