Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Legislative Assembly was adjourned on Thursday amid intense exchanges among members of various political parties.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather called a 15-minute break after struggling to maintain order due to the uproar caused by BJP MLAs protesting the passing of a resolution aimed at restoring Article 370 on Wednesday.
BJP leaders contended that the resolution for the restoration of Article 370 is unconstitutional and illegal, given that the Article was abrogated by the Parliament and this action was later upheld by the Supreme Court of India.
The BJP’s protest in the Assembly prompted strong reactions from the ruling National Conference (NC) MLAs and other members who supported the resolution. The atmosphere became even more charged when BJP members expressed their strong stance on the special status previously granted to J&K under Article 370.
Despite Speaker Rather’s attempts to restore calm, his efforts were unsuccessful, leading to the adjournment of the session. BJP MLAs declared they would not permit the Assembly to operate until the resolution was retracted.
The resolution for the restoration of Article 370 was passed by the J&K Assembly the previous day. It was introduced by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and seconded by NC leader and minister Sakina Masood during the third day of the Assembly’s current session.
BJP’s Sunil Sharma, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition, strongly opposed the resolution, questioning the government’s decision to introduce it while the Assembly’s agenda was primarily focused on discussing the Lieutenant Governor’s address.
The resolution stated, “This Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special 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 calls upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of the people of J&K for the restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees, and to develop constitutional mechanisms for this restoration.”
This move faced significant opposition, with Sharma questioning the appropriateness of introducing the resolution amidst the ongoing discussion on the LG’s address. However, some Independent MLAs, including Sheikh Khurshid Ahmed, Shabir Ahmad, and Sajad Lone from the People’s Conference, along with three MLAs from the PDP, expressed their support for the resolution.
After a vote was conducted by Speaker Rather, the resolution passed with a majority. Following continued chaos in the Assembly, the Speaker once again adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
While the passing of this resolution seeking restoration of statehood for J&K by the ruling NC holds little constitutional significance, it establishes a clear political confrontation between the J&K government and the Centre. Article 370 and 35A were abrogated by the Parliament on August 5, 2019, and the Supreme Court of India later affirmed Parliament’s authority to do so.