Speaker can expunge any unparliamentary language, says J&K CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday (February 11, 2026) apologised for hurting sentiments with his remarks in the Assembly, adding that his “unparliamentary language” could be expunged from the records.

Pandemonium broke out in the Assembly on Tuesday (February 10) afternoon when Mr. Abdullah taunted BJP legislators in his post-Budget speech, implying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had reprimanded them for their performance in the Assembly during his visit to J&K. The CM had said that “inko itnaay joota paday hai” (literally, they have been beaten with shoes, a metaphor for a severe reprimand).

BJP legislators created an uproar in the House on Wednesday (February 11), demanding the CM’s apology and staging a brief walkout. Facing the Opposition’s protest, Mr. Abdullah said, “We all say things in the heat of the moment. If any of my words hurt anybody’s sentiments, I am sorry. The Speaker can expunge any unparliamentary language.”

Family matters

However, he also lashed out in response to the BJP Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s statement on National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. “My comments were directed at them [BJP legislators] and not at their family members. However, the Opposition’s ‘field commander’ dragged my late grandfather into the matter,” the CM said.

Later, BJP leader and legislator Sham Lal Sharma accepted the CM’s apology. “Mr. Abdullah has shown grace and maturity by accepting his mistake over his words in the Assembly,” he said..