Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Assembly proceedings were adjourned for the day on Wednesday amidst uproar after the House passed a resolution seeking a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives for restoration of special status of the erstwhile state.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House till Thursday as ruckus continued in the assembly over the resolution.
After the House passed the resolution through voice vote, the assembly witnessed noisy scenes as the BJP members stormed its well to protest the resolution.
The Speaker had first adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.
However, as soon as the House met again, the BJP members continued with their protest and raised slogans against the Speaker.
BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, said, “We have reports that you (Speaker) called a meeting of ministers yesterday and drafted the resolution yourself”.
However, Rather told the protesting BJP members to take their seats, saying “enough is enough”.
Amidst the din, the Speaker then adjourned the proceedings again for an hour.
Even as the House met again at 12:20 pm, the ruckus continued, with the BJP members raising slogans “Go back Go back, Speaker go back”, and “take back illegal resolution”.
The Speaker repeatedly asked the BJP MLAs to take their seats, saying, “this does not behove you”.
The NC members also took to their feet and both the sides hurled barbs at each other.
“If you don’t have confidence in me, bring a no confidence motion,” the Speaker dared the BJP members, and adjourned the House till Thursday.
Earlier, amidst an uproar, the assembly passed the resolution through voice vote, prompting protests by BJP members.
J-K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution for restoring the special status of J-K, which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.
“That This Legislative Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal,” the resolution moved by Choudhary said.
It said this Assembly calls upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status, constitutional guarantees and to workout constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions.
“This Assembly emphasises that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.,” the resolution added.
However, the BJP members, opposed the resolution, saying it was not part of the listed business.
“We reject the resolution. The Business given to us was that the discussion is on the Lieutenant governor’s address,” Sharma said.
The members of the PDP, Peoples’ Conference and CPI(M) also supported the resolution during the voice vote.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti described the resolution on the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir moved by the National Conference (NC) in the legislative assembly as “half-hearted” and “lacking conviction”.
On the other hand, the NC claimed it had fulfilled another poll promise with the passing of the resolution in the Assembly.
Addressing media persons in Srinagar, Mehbooba said the resolution intended to call for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, fell short in language and intent. “The language could have been better, this is a half-hearted attempt, and we are thinking of bringing amendments to the resolution,” she added.
She further said that while NC’s resolution did acknowledge concerns about the 2019 revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, it failed to explicitly condemn the decision, which she described as unconstitutional. She noted that instead of firmly calling for the complete restoration of Article 370, the resolution only suggested that dialogue be held on the matter. “Dialogue with whom? the representatives of the BJP who opposed the resolution even today, she asked.
The newly-appointed UT’s BJP chief Sat Sharma led a protest against the passing of the resolution outside the party office in Jammu while National Conference activists celebrated it.
Congress Legislature Party leader GA Mir said his party, through a resolution passed in the CWC on 5 August 2019, expressed support for the people’s opposition to the downgrading and bifurcation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State.
The Congress Party has stressed the need for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir with constitutional guarantees, including the protection of rights, land, jobs, resources, and cultural identity, without further delay, he added.
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) leader Sajad Lone expressed satisfaction after the Assembly passed the resolution against the actions taken on August 5, 2019.
Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra said his party was committed to fighting for statehood to J&K and safeguarding the rights of its people over land, jobs, natural resources and its unique cultural identity. After the verdict of the Supreme Court, it is the first democratic expression of the people of J&K reflecting the aspirations of the people.
“BJP’s opposition to the resolution makes it evident that their petty political interests are not only at loggerheads with the aspirations of the people of J&K but also their sole priority, no matter at what cost. It (the BJP) is not only disrespecting the overwhelming sentiment of the people of J&K but is actively hindering the process of restoration of constitutional and democratic rights, guarantees like that of cultural identity, land, jobs, and natural resources. They cannot claim to represent our people while acting against their rights,” he said.
“The resolution provides a much-needed opportunity for a meaningful engagement between New Delhi and the people of J&K in the backdrop of mistrust created by the acts of the BJP Government over the last several years,” he added.
The BJP strongly opposed the National Conference-led Jammu and Kashmir government’s resolution on special status on Wednesday, tearing copies of the document in the well of the Union Territory’s House and saying it had no “legal sanctity”. Party workers also held a protest in Jammu.
The Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma, said the resolution was introduced without being listed in the business of the day. “We were scheduled to discuss the address by the Lieutenant Governor. But the government cleverly and suddenly moved this resolution.”
The LoP went on to term the resolution “illegal and unconstitutional”, adding it has “no legal sanctity because this (J&K) Assembly is not above the Parliament or the Supreme Court.” Calling Article 370 history, the LoP said that there could be “no one can change this history now”.
BJP IT department incharge Amit Malviya, however, had a different take. He posted on X that the resolution was an “interesting development” that “reflects a new approach by the ruling National Conference”. “Instead of insisting on the full restoration of Article 370, the resolution calls for open dialogue on the issue — a significant shift that acknowledges the new reality, post 5th Aug 2019,” he posted.
Sharma also attacked the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, for what had transpired in the Assembly, saying he was “part of the government’s discussions for drafting the resolution” and calling him a “political worker”.
Targeting Chief minister Omar Abdullah, Sharma said, “They have a habit of misleading the people of Kashmir. People who used to indulge in street politics by fooling people in the name of 370, autonomy or Jamaat-e-Islami… They are worried about the peace that has settled in after August 5, 2019.”
Sharma added that the NC “wants to bring poor people on the streets again” by introducing the conversation on statehood.
Sharma also attacked NC ally Congress for supporting the resolution in the Assembly. “I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party to clarify their position on the abrogation of Article 370. Otherwise Congress will have to answer for this nationally.”
The BJP also held a demonstration in Jammu and called on the central government to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of the Union Territory.
