J&K Assembly adjourned for day amid ruckus over resolution for restoration of Article 370

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned for the day on Thursday following a brawl between the BJP MLAs and marshals, as the opposition members protested against a resolution for the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status for the second consecutive day.

While the opposition BJP said the resolution is “illegal” and demanded its withdrawal, the speaker said he does not have such powers as anything passed by the House can only be undone by the House itself.

Amid high drama, the day also witnessed a group of MLAs, including those from the PDP and Peoples’ Conference, submitting a fresh resolution demanding immediate restoration of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution in their original form.

As soon as the Assembly met in the morning, pandemonium broke out as the BJP members protested against the resolution that was passed on Wednesday.

While Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma (BJP) was speaking on the resolution, Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Khursheed jumped into the well with a banner that read Articles 370 and 35A be restored.

This irked the BJP members, who also jumped into the well, snatched the banner from the Langate MLA and tore it into pieces.

There was a minor scuffle between the BJP MLAs and Khursheed. Finding the latter outnumbered, Peoples’ Conference MLA Sajad Lone came to the rescue of the legislator from his neighbouring constituency.

Amid the din, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

After the House resumed its proceedings, the BJP continued its protest, even as the speaker requested the opposition members to take their seats.

As the protest continued, the speaker said, “I am very closely watching the activities of some members. Do not force me to do what I do not want to do.”

Sharma, however, said “I want the National Conference’s drama of special status to end”, which infuriated the ruling party members.

The BJP MLAs raised slogans, such as “Balidan huye jahan Mookerjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai”, while the NC members shouted “Jis Kashmir ko khoon se seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai”.

The BJP was referring to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh that later became the Bharatiya Janata Party.

As the uproar continued, the speaker issued directions that nothing should be recorded or reported.

He then directed marshalling out of the BJP members, who stormed the well, leading to a scuffle between them and the marshals.

“They deserve it, throw them out,” the speaker said.

While they were being evicted, the BJP MLAs came to blows with the marshals. Three BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the House amid thumping of tables by the treasury bench members.

Minister Satish Sharma stood up and said the BJP “is playing divide and rule”. He said “Bharat Mata” belongs to all.

“The Constitution of India was on the table on which they (BJP MLAs) were standing yesterday. They were standing on it with their shoes on. They should be punished for it,” the minister said.

However, the pandemonium continued, resulting in the speaker adjourning the proceedings till Friday,“ the last scheduled day of the session.

The House witnessed an uproar on Wednesday too as the BJP MLAs protested vociferously after the passage of the resolution. Eventually, the speaker adjourned the House for the day.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution that said: “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.”

said the Assembly calls upon the Centre to initiate talks with elected representatives from the region for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and constitutional guarantees, and to work out constitutional mechanisms for the same.

“This Assembly emphasises that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” it added.

Meanwhile, a group of MLAs, including from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples’ Conference, submitted a fresh resolution in the Assembly demanding immediate restoration of Articles 370 and 35A in their original form.

“This House strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, by the Government of India,” the resolution read.

“These actions stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and statehood, undermining the foundational guarantees and protections originally accorded to the region and its people by the Constitution of India,” it added.

The resolution was submitted by PDP MLAs Waheed Para and Fayaz Mir, People’s Conference MLA Sajad Lone, Awami Ittehad Party’s Sheikh Khursheed (brother of MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid) and independent MLA Shabir Kullay.

Talking to reporters, Para said the NC and the BJP are “playing a fixed match”.

Lone said their resolution has been named as people’s resolution, which clearly and unconditionally condemns what was done on August 5, 2019.

“We do not want to criticise (the NC), but the NC should either support this resolution or pass the same resolution that we will vote for. Otherwise, they should say what is the difference between our resolution and theirs,” he added.

He said the NC’s “weak resolution” is a “humiliation and betrayal” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the BJP said Article 370 is history and it cannot be restored.

BJP MLA R S Pathania said it is “unfortunate” that the ruling NC has “compromised the integrity” of the Assembly and made a “joke” of parliamentary democracy by bringing a resolution that questions a decision taken by Parliament.

The opposition party has demanded that the resolution passed on Wednesday be withdrawn.

Talking to PTI, the speaker said the BJP’s demand is unreasonable as only the House has the power to reverse any business passed by it. “They are asking the speaker to take the resolution back. The speaker does not have the power. Anything passed by the House can only be undone by the House itself,” he said. (PTI)