Uproar in JK assembly over resolution on Art 370 restoration

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution asking the Centre to hold dialogue with elected representatives for restoration of special status of the erstwhile state, prompting protests by Bharatiya Janata Party members who tore copies of the document and raised slogans against the speaker.

The unruly scenes in the House and vociferous protests by BJP members led to frequent disruptions of the proceedings and eventually the speaker adjourned the House for the day.

The resolution, which also expressed "concern" over the "unilateral removal" of the special status, was passed without any debate as the Speaker put it to voice vote amidst noisy scenes.

With the passage of the resolution, the ruling NC said it has fulfilled one of its manifesto promises while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the "Assembly has done its job".

The members of the PDP, Peoples' Conference and CPI-M supported the resolution during the voice vote.

While many political parties here welcomed the move, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said it was a "half-hearted" effort and the resolution could have been written "in a better way".

The Modi government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

J-K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution which said, "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..

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.

BJP members, including the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, 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 LG's address," he said.

The LoP said there is a rat race among parties here but they all know nothing is going to happen.

The Act has been passed by the biggest temple of democracy in the country (Parliament), he added.

Sharma's comments agitated the treasury benches and noisy scenes were witnessed in the House with most of the NC and BJP members on their feet.

BJP members tore the copies of the resolution and threw the pieces into the well of the House.

Amidst the din, MLA Langate, Sheikh Khursheed, tried to rush to the well, but was prevented by the assembly marshals.

NC members raised slogans that the resolution be passed, while Congress MLA from Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat, said the BJP members have done a dishonour to the House and violated rules.

However, the BJP members continued to raise slogans against the resolution.

Amidst the uproar, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said, "If the opposition members do not want to speak, I will put it to vote".

Rather put the resolution to voice vote and it was passed amidst the din.

As soon as the resolution was passed, the BJP members stormed the well of the House.

The Speaker then adjourned the house for 15 minutes.

Even after the House was adjourned, the BJP members continued to shout slogans like "5 August zindabad", "Jai Shri Ram", "Vande mataram", "anti-national agenda nahi chalega", "anti-Jammu agenda nahi chalega", and "Speaker hai hai".

BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma alleged that the resolution was prepared "in collusion with the Speaker in a guest house".

"The mandate (of assembly polls) was in favour of abrogation of 370 because we (BJP) got 26 per cent votes while NC got 23 per cent," Sharma said.

He said the speaker should act independently. "Today he has acted as NC leader".

"I want to tell Kashmir centric parties that their hegemony is over," he said while promising a strong response.

As soon as House assembled again at 11.05 am, BJP MLAs raised slogans against the Speaker.

The LoP 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 as "enough is enough".

Amidst the din, the speaker called NC's Javaid Hassan Baig to move motion of thanks for the LG's address.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings again for one 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.

Welcoming the passage of the resolution, CPI-M's MLA M Y Tarigami said it was "historic".

Peoples' Conference chairman and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone said what happened on August 5, 2019 "was against the will of the people of J-K".

The Congress, which is an alliance partner of the ruling NC, said statehood to J-K with constitutional guarantees, including protection of land and jobs rights must be restored, without any further delay.

Congress Legislature Party leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the Congress, through a resolution passed in its CWC on August 5, 2019, has endorsed the "resentment of people against downgrading and bifurcation of erstwhile J-K state, describing the move as undemocratic and unconstitutional on the part of BJP government at the Centre".

In Jammu, the local unit of the BJP staged a protest to denounce the passing of the resolution.

Led by party president Sat Paul Sharma, a group of BJP members set ablaze a joint effigy of chief minister and his deputy amid slogan-shouting.