SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated scenes on Monday as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators protested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking restoration of full statehood, objecting particularly to references to the Assembly’s 2000 autonomy resolution and the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP also submitted a notice seeking the removal of Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather from the Chair, with Udhampur East MLA R.S. Pathania informing the House about the move.
Pathania questioned Rather’s continuation in the Chair while the removal notice was pending and demanded that the Speaker vacate the Chair.
Rather declined to do so, saying the notice had been submitted in writing and that the matter could be taken up after the prescribed 14-day period under the Assembly procedure. He continued to preside over the proceedings and Question Hour.
BJP legislators subsequently entered the Well of the House and raised slogans demanding that Rather leave the Chair. Papers were torn and some were thrown towards the Chair during the protest, while BJP members later conducted mock proceedings from the Well.
The immediate point of contention was the wording of Omar Abdullah’s statehood resolution, which refers to resolutions passed by the Assembly on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024, in addition to calling for the “immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood” to Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP supports statehood, opposes autonomy references
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the BJP fully supports restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but opposes bringing the issue of Article 370 and the 2000 autonomy resolution into the present resolution.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Sharma said the ruling National Conference was seeking to revisit issues relating to the pre-1953 constitutional position, separate flag, separate Constitution and Article 370 while discussing statehood.
“Is this Assembly bigger than the Supreme Court and the Parliament?” Sharma asked, referring to the Supreme Court’s judgment on Article 370 and the role of Parliament in the constitutional changes concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharma said the BJP’s position on statehood remained clear and that the party had consistently supported its restoration. Current reports also quote him as saying the BJP would support the statehood resolution if it remained confined to restoration of statehood.
The BJP has maintained that its objection is to linking the statehood demand with autonomy, Article 370 and earlier constitutional arrangements rather than to restoration of statehood itself.
Speaker-removal notice becomes parallel flashpoint
The notice seeking Rather’s removal added a separate point of confrontation to the proceedings.
The Speaker maintained that the written notice had to follow the prescribed procedure and that it could be taken up after the stipulated 14-day period. BJP legislators, however, continued their protest from the Well.
The developments turned the debate over the statehood resolution into a wider confrontation between the treasury and opposition benches over both the wording of the resolution and the conduct of the House.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary defended the government’s position during the uproar and questioned the BJP’s objections to the proceedings.
The statehood resolution had originally been moved by Omar Abdullah on September 25 and was formally listed for consideration during the Assembly’s ongoing autumn session. The current dispute centres on whether the reference to earlier resolutions, particularly the June 26, 2000 autonomy resolution, should remain part of a resolution seeking restoration of full statehood.
The Assembly’s autumn session is scheduled to continue until September 30.
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