Geelani's name mentioned by two MLAs during obituary references

Speaker ask MLAs to switch off cellphones during proceedings

Srinagar: The name of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani figured in the obituary references in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday but only two MLAs mentioned him in their speeches.
More than a dozen MLAs spoke during the obituary references in the assembly.
PDP MLA from Tral Rafiq Ahmad Naik and ruling National Conference MLA from Srigufwara-Bijbehara Bashir Ahmad Veeri mentioned Geelani's name in their speeches. The three-time MLA from Sopore died on September 1, 2021.
"Today, we are here to pay tributes to great personalities who have been members of this house or held high posts. Among them, is Syed Ali Shah Geelani too. Our political ideologies are very different but he has been a member of this house. He was a good orator," Naik said.
Veeri, while paying tributes to some of the stalwarts of Indian politics like former President Pranab Mukherjee and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also mentioned Geelani.
"There is another respected personality who has been a member of this house. We might have ideological differences with him but he also represented an aspiration. I pay tributes to Syed Ali Shah Geelani as well," Veeri said.
Geelani was a member of the legislative assembly three times from the Sopore segment, having won in 1972, 1977 and 1987.
With the eruption of militancy in 1989, Geelani joined the separatist bandwagon and boycotted the elections till his death in 2021.
Meanwhile, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked all the MLAs to keep their mobile phones switched off during House proceedings to uphold the sanctity of the legislature.
The speaker's direction came after some MLAs were seen filming the House proceedings with their mobile phones on the second day of the session, the first of the newly-elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
"Some members were seen doing videography. It is requested that you switch off your mobile phones. We have to uphold the dignity and sanctity of the House," Rather said after the obituary references in the House.
The National Conference leader also warned that he would ensure that the rules of the Assembly are followed by the members.
"I request you to cooperate. If any member does not cooperate, I will be forced to take action," he said.