SRINAGAR: Chaos erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Thursday as BJP members protested against the passage of a resolution calling for the restoration of special status for the erstwhile state, prompting the Speaker to adjourn proceedings briefly.
As soon as the House convened for the day, BJP members raised a ruckus over the resolution passed on Wednesday, which urged the Centre to establish a constitutional mechanism for restoring the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
While BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma was speaking on the resolution, Awami Ittehad Party leader and MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed jumped into the well of the House holding a banner that read, “Articles 370 and 35A be restored.”
This infuriated BJP members, who stormed into the well and snatched the banner, tearing it into pieces. Amid the chaos, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes. However, BJP members continued their protest even after the adjournment.
The passage of the resolution on Wednesday had already caused an uproar in the House, with BJP members protesting vociferously, resulting in repeated disruptions. Eventually, the Speaker had adjourned the House for the day.
The resolution was moved by JK Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, which stated: “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.”
It further called on the Government of India to initiate dialogue with the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir to restore the special status and constitutional guarantees, emphasizing that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
