Chaos In Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Again, MLAs Face Off Over Special Status

For the third consecutive day, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed chaos over a contentious resolution seeking to reinstate demanding immediate restoration of special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The session was marked by shouting matches, physical confrontations, and a walkout by the BJP after several members of the party jumped into the well of the house and were eventually marshalled out. 

The discord began on Wednesday when a new resolution, advocating for the reinstatement of special status was introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC). The BJP, opposing the resolution, labelled it "illegal," demanding it be withdrawn. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected this demand, saying that the House itself, not the Speaker, held the authority to reverse any resolution passed.

The discord began on Wednesday when a new resolution, advocating for the reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A, was introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC). The BJP, opposing the resolution, labelled it "illegal," demanding it be withdrawn. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected this demand, saying that the House itself, not the Speaker, held the authority to reverse any resolution passed. 

During a speech by BJP's Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Sheikh Khursheed entered the assembly well, holding a banner demanding the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. BJP legislators quickly intervened, snatching and tearing the banner, leading to a brief scuffle in which People's Conference MLA Sajad Lone supported Mr Khursheed. This followed a 15-minute adjournment of the House. 

Upon resumption, BJP members continued their protest, despite the Speaker's calls for order. "Do not force me to take actions I do not wish to take," he warned, as BJP members persisted in chanting slogans honouring Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Meanwhile, NC members responded with chants on the historic sacrifices made for Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy.

Tensions escalated further when Speaker Rather ordered the removal of several protesting BJP members, prompting a physical confrontation with assembly marshals. Three BJP MLAs were eventually escorted out, while treasury bench members applauded the move.

In a pointed address, Minister Satish Sharma condemned the BJP's actions, accusing them of divisive tactics. Mr Sharma claimed that the BJP MLAs had "disrespected the Constitution" by allegedly standing on the document while protesting, calling for disciplinary action against them.

PDP, People's Conference, and AIP MLAs joined forces to submit a fresh resolution denouncing the 2019 abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. This new resolution, spearheaded by PDP MLAs Waheed Para and Fayaz Mir, and People's Conference MLA Sajad Lone, described the abrogation as "unconstitutional" and a "breach of foundational guarantees" originally extended to Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Lone, in a separate statement, accused the NC of playing a "fixed match" with the BJP, stating that the NC's initial resolution was inadequate in condemning the abrogation.

BJP MLA RS Pathania described the regional parties' actions as an attempt to "compromise the integrity" of the Assembly while insisting that the abrogation of Article 370 was a closed matter.