Jammu, Feb. 5 -- The Jammu and Kashmir assembly witnessed stormy scenes on Wednesday as the House was briefly adjourned following an uproar over alleged unwarranted remarks made by the leader of opposition (LoP), Sunil Sharma, regarding the Pir Panjal region. The commotion erupted soon after Question Hour when Congress MLA from Rajouri, Iftikhar Ahmed took exception to Sharma's comments outside legislative assembly to a news portal on Tuesday. The controversy stems from an interview given by the LoP to a news portal on Tuesday. When questioned about the demand for a National Law University (NLU) in the Pir Panjal region, Sharma reportedly said he did not know much about the area and no such area by the name Pir Panjal existed. This triggered a sharp reaction from treasury benches and Independent legislators representing the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which together constitute the Pir Panjal belt. The protest was led by deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary and included all seven MLAs from the region, including cabinet minister Javed Ahmed Rana and legislators Javid Choudhary, Aijaz Jan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Independents Choudhary Akram and Muzaffar Khan. While BJP MLAs stood in support of their leader, Sharma remained seated as the deputy CM demanded an unconditional written apology, asserting that the House would not be allowed to function otherwise. The deputy CM was joined by two cabinet ministers Satish Sharma and Javed Ahmed Rana.The House turned into a battlefield of slogans, with cries of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai clashing with Jive Jive Pir Panjal. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had recently pushed for a separate divisional commissioner for Rajouri and Poonch, citing the challenges of its vast, hilly terrain. Faced with relentless sloganeering in the well, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes. Talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmed said that unless the LoP does not tender an apology, they will not allow the House to run. "He has disrespected the people of Pir Panjal," he said, referring to the Poonch and Rajpuri districts. He said the people of Pir Panjal have laid down their lives while defending borders and LoP has "insulted the martyrs" of Pir Panjal. National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan also demanded an apology from the LoP on the floor of the House. Reacting to the issue, LoP Sunil Sharma objected to referring Rajouri and Poonch districts as part of the Pir Panjal region, asserting that no such region exists in Jammu and Kashmir, which he described as a single, undivided unit. "There is no such region in Jammu and Kashmir. Attempts are being made to create separate regional identities, which challenge the historical and cultural unity of Jammu and Kashmir," Sharma said. Replying to a question on whether he would apologise, as demanded by the ruling party, Sharma parried a direct reply, asking where such a region existed. He said historical and Puranic references should be consulted, as the area was earlier described as the "Chandrabhaga division". He accused certain elements of trying to "erase or alter" the identity of the region by promoting separate regional nomenclatures. Sharma maintained that J&K was one entity formed through the efforts of Maharaja Hari Singh and termed the present-day region as his legacy. He said that if any re-organisation or official nomenclature was to be adopted, it was the government's responsibility to do so formally. The BJP leader also criticised what he termed as attempts to project regions such as Pir Panjal and Chenab valley as separate entities, saying such moves could lead to unnecessary divisions. The House eventually reassembled at 11.50 am, after which chief minister Omar Abdullah moved two legislative Bills to resume formal business. Accusing speaker AR Rather of being biased, all the 29 BJP MLAs, on Wednesday, staged a walkout from the legislative assembly during discussion on motion of thanks on LG's address here. The BJP lawmakers alleged that the speaker granted time to the members of the ruling party. Before walking out of the house, a heated argument ensued between the BJP legislators and the members of the treasury benches. Members from the treasury benches accused the BJP of indulging in divisive politics and reminded the BJP MLAs of how Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College was closed down after 42 Muslim students out of 50 were selected in the first batch. The BJP legislators alleged that members of the ruling party were being given more time, while they were repeatedly ignored or curtailed. Speaker denied the charge and stated that he ran the house strictly in accordance with the rules. Amid the din, BJP MLAs walked out of the house and staged a sit-in outside. Four MLAs-Salman Sagar (NC), Nazir Gurezi (NC), Ehsan Pardesi (NC) and Mir Mohammad Fayaz (PDP) sought permission of the Speaker to bring agitating BJP MLAs back to the house. Eventually, the four MLAs persuaded the BJP lawmakers, who returned to the House....