The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly recently approved a resolution to persuade the BJP-controlled NDA administration to engage with the elected leadership for the revival of the erstwhile state’s special status withdrawn in August 2019.
Amidst uproar situations, junior Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution emphasizing the need of the special status and constitutional protections which safeguarded the identity, culture and rights of the people of J&K. What he said was that a restoration process must talk of integration but not at the cost of the people of J&K.
The resolution proved contentious when BJP members led by the LoP Sunil Sharma opposed it on grounds that they did not see it on the order paper. Sharma said they were in a ‘rat race’ among the J&K parties over the matter but ruled out any possibility of changes, saying the change had been made in the Parliament.
In a show of opposition, BJP members thrown papers across the House by tearing the copies of the resolution while Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed tried to jump towards it but was hold back by marshals. At the same time, National Conference (NC) members urged for passing of the resolution and Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat described the BJP actions as “dishonour” to the House, that each of whom have the right to discuss it.
With full knowledge of what was happening on the floor, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather went ahead and put speaker’s voice and this passed the motion. BJP members then went into the well of House and the Speaker left the House and the House was suspended for 15 minutes.
In August last year, it unilaterally revoked Article 370 that special status of Jammu and Kashmir and split the state into two union territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
