WAJAHAT SHABIR
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, amid a fierce protest by BJP members that saw proceedings disrupted, business papers torn, mock proceedings conducted in the well and four MLAs marshalled out of the House.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah last Friday, was taken up for consideration on Monday after its discussion had been deferred as several members sought to speak on the issue. BJP members opposed the resolution from the outset, arguing that references to autonomy and special status were unconstitutional and that the House should not be allowed to debate or pass it.
The resolution stated that, in addition to resolutions passed by the Assembly on June 26, 2000 and November 6, 2024, the House called upon the Government of India for the “immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood” and resolved that it be forwarded to the Centre.
The 2000 resolution, passed during the Farooq Abdullah-led government, had sought restoration of greater autonomy as it existed before August 9, 1953. The Assembly had again passed a resolution on November 6, 2024, seeking restoration of special status.
During Monday’s debate, several members, including from the ruling National Conference, moved amendments seeking an explicit reference to restoration of special status.
Omar Abdullah, however, urged members to withdraw the amendments, arguing that the Assembly had already passed resolutions on the issue and that pressing the amendments would provide the BJP an opportunity to oppose the statehood resolution.
“This House has already passed resolutions twice for special status,” Abdullah said, referring to the 2000 and 2024 resolutions. He said the government had asked the Centre to restore the special provisions that existed before 2019.
Following the chief minister’s appeal, all eight members who had moved amendments agreed not to press them.
The confrontation began with the BJP moving a motion seeking the removal of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, accusing him of allowing Omar Abdullah’s statehood resolution to be introduced in violation of Assembly rules.
As soon as the proceedings began, BJP legislators objected to the resolution, which had been moved by the chief minister on Friday, and questioned the Speaker’s decision to allow it to proceed.
BJP MLA R S Pathania said the party had moved a motion for Rather’s removal and asked the Speaker to step aside until the motion was decided by the House. Citing Rule 215(2), Pathania said 23 MLAs had supported the motion.
“You cannot conduct the proceedings. Someone else will have to,” Pathania said, referring to precedents in Parliament where Speakers had stepped aside pending consideration of removal motions.
Rather rejected the demand, saying the motion could only be taken up after following the procedure prescribed under the rules.
“You are a good lawyer. You can bring the motion. I have not seen it yet. If you read Rule 215, the procedure to be followed is laid down in the rules. A motion should be entered in the list of business any day after 14 days of submission of the motion,” the Speaker said.
Rather also rejected the BJP’s reference to parliamentary precedents, saying those instances followed the grant of leave by the House and did not apply to the present case.
The BJP members then stood up as the Speaker proceeded with Question Hour. Pathania accused the House of violating the doctrine of separation of powers and going against the Supreme Court and the Constitution.
Another BJP MLA, Balwant Mankotia, accused the treasury benches of supporting separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, after which BJP members raised slogans of “Kursichhodo, kursichhodo, Speaker sahabkursichhodo.”
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the BJP wanted statehood restored but opposed the wording and manner in which the resolution had been brought.
“J&K is a sensitive state and we have enemies around. We don’t want to do opposition for the sake of opposition. We want that statehood be restored. It is our agenda. But the kind of resolution they have brought, it is in violation of the Constitution and is unacceptable,” Sharma said.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary questioned the BJP’s opposition to the resolution and referred to the Centre’s stated commitment to restore J&K’s statehood.
“What is wrong with the resolution for statehood? The home minister has promised on the floor of Parliament that statehood will be restored,” Chaudhary said.
When Rather said the motion for his removal could only be taken up after 14 days under the relevant rule, Chaudhary urged him to put the motion to vote immediately.
BJP members subsequently entered the well of the House, tore business papers and raised slogans including “Samvidhan se mazak, band karo” and “Samvidhan ki hatya band karo.”
BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma conducted mock proceedings from the well, with other BJP members sitting on the floor. Minister Sakina Ittoo criticised the protests, accusing the BJP members of “only doing drama for galleries”.
The situation further deteriorated as the protest continued despite warnings from the Speaker. Sharma raised the slogan “dhokebaaz CM, kursichhodo”, triggering a slogan-shouting exchange between the opposition and treasury benches.
Congress members also raised slogans against the BJP-led government at the Centre, while Congress MLA Irfan Lone held a banner demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Deputy Chief Minister Chaudhary demanded that the Speaker direct the Leader of Opposition to apologise for the language used against the chief minister.
“This is not a street,” he said.
Amid the continued uproar, BJP MLAs allegedly attacked Congress members with a microphone stand, following which Assembly marshals intervened.
BJP MLAs Vikram Randhawa and Arvind Gupta, along with Congress MLAs Irfan Lone and Iftikhar Ahmad, were marshalled out of the House.
The Speaker warned members against disrupting proceedings and said strict action would be taken against those repeatedly violating discipline.
“I will name the members who are disrupting the proceedings and take strict action. So maintain discipline,” Rather said.
Despite the warning, BJP members attempted to move towards the Speaker’s podium, further escalating the confrontation.
The resolution was ultimately passed by voice vote, with BJP members absent from the voting process following their walkout.
