Srinagar: A political controversy sparked by the Article 370 resolution which was passed by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly triggered more fireworks on Thursday (November 7) which resulted in some legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) being marshalled out from the House on orders of the Speaker.
The House was adjourned for the day on Thursday after the saffron party members continued their protest against the resolution which was passed on Wednesday (November 6), and prevented the House from functioning.
A group of legislators from Kashmir-based parties (other than the ruling NC) also brought a third Article-370 resolution to the House on Thursday, reflecting the widespread anger against the BJP-led union government’s decision of stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and downgrading the erstwhile state into a union territory.
The opposition parties have accused the Omar Abdullah-led government of surrendering before the BJP with its “meaningless” resolution, terming it as a “grave betrayal” of the mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the party in the recently concluded assembly election.
Legislators of BJP, Kashmir-based parties rush to well of the House
Ruckus broke out soon after the House convened on Thursday and the Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma of the BJP, stood up to speak on the NC’s resolution. The saffron party has been demanding the withdrawal of the resolution.
As Sharma was speaking, Awami Ittehad Party’s only legislator, Sheikh Khursheed, dashed into the well of the assembly with a banner which called for the “restoration of Article 370 and 35-A” and the “release of political prisoners”.
The incident triggered the BJP legislators, some of whom jumped into the well of the assembly and a commotion broke out, which prompted Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
However, chaos continued to reign after some legislators of the ruling NC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Conference (PC) also entered the well and a scuffle broke out during which the Article-370 banner was torn into pieces by the BJP MLAs.
After the House convened again following the scheduled break, the saffron party legislators continued the ruckus and traded barbs at the ruling party. “The National Conference should end the drama of special status”, LoP Sharma said, which further triggered the treasury benches.
“RSS’s agenda won’t work here,” responded one of the NC legislators, “This house will be run by the agenda of the people of J&K”.
Later, the BJP MLAs again resorted to sloganeering.
Three BJP MLAs marshalled out
The behaviour of the opposition didn’t go down well with the Speaker. “There is a limit to everything. I don’t want to do anything unsavoury. This (assembly) is not a fish market. Please sit down,” Speaker Rather said.
However, despite repeated requests, the BJP members didn’t relent, prompting the Speaker to order marshals to “throw them out”. Later, three BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the assembly amid thumping of desks by the ruling party and legislators of Kashmir-based parties.
The remaining BJP members however continued their agitation, prompting some NC members to initiate their own protest.
“Jammu Kashmir ki awaaz kya (What is J&K’s demand),” NC’s Altaf Kullo, who was elected from Pahalgam assembly constituency, shouted, to which the other NC members responded with: “370 aur kya (Article 370, what else)”.
The NC legislators also accused the BJP members of “murdering democracy” in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Your shops have been shut. Jammu is celebrating after we passed the resolution. You have become jobless. You are not politicians. You have become actors. For how long will you sell Article 370 and temple,” said a NC legislator.
The Speaker again urged the BJP legislators to sit down and allow the assembly to function. However, they continued to shout slogans, “The ruling party members have taken their seats but you are not listening to me. I adjourn the House. We will meet tomorrow,” Rather said.
Kashmir-based parties bring fresh resolution on Article 370
Later, PDP’s Waheed Parra and Mir Fayaz, AIP’s Khursheed, PC’s Sajad Lone and independent legislator Shabir Ahmad Kullay brought a fresh resolution on Article 370 in the assembly. Some of them have taken objection to the wording used by the ruling party in its resolution which was passed on Wednesday.
The new resolution reads: “This House strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, by the Government of India. These actions stripped Jammu & 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.”
“This House unequivocally demands the immediate restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A in their original, unaltered form, and calls for the reversal of all changes introduced by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. We further urge the Government of India to respect the constitutional and democratic sanctity of Jammu & Kashmir by reinstating all special provisions and guarantees intended to preserve its distinct identity, culture, and political autonomy,” reads the resolution.
