By Tehelka Web Bureau
Srinagar, Sept 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed a sharp confrontation between the ruling National Conference and the BJP on Monday over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking restoration of statehood, with the Opposition objecting to references to earlier autonomy resolutions and the government insisting that the motion was focused solely on statehood.
The dispute over the wording of the resolution spilled into noisy scenes in the House, with BJP legislators later staging a sit-in in the Well of the Assembly. The confrontation came ahead of the scheduled discussion on the statehood resolution, which has emerged as a major point of contention between the two sides.
BJP objects to wording
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the BJP was also committed to restoration of statehood but objected to the language used in the resolution moved by Omar.
“Restoration of statehood is the agenda of the BJP. But the way language has been used in the resolution moved in the Assembly is against the Constitution of India,” Sharma said.
The statehood resolution, moved by Omar on Friday, called on the Government of India for the “immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood” and sought that it be forwarded to New Delhi. The text described itself as being “in addition to” resolutions passed by the House in June 2000 and November 2024.
The 2000 resolution, passed when Omar’s father Farooq Abdullah was chief minister, sought greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir and included a return to the pre-1953 constitutional arrangement.
BJP members objected to the reference, arguing that statehood and the autonomy demand were separate issues. Sharma accused Omar of attempting to revive the earlier resolution through the statehood motion.
“The BJP is the only party that can give statehood to J&K and is in favour of it. If anyone has sabotaged it, it is Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,” Sharma said.
“What was the need to bring the issue of the pre-1953 position now? The same resolution his father got passed in this Assembly, his own son threw into the dustbin while sitting in the lap of the BJP as a central minister. Why rake up a rejected resolution again? It only means they do not want statehood and want to sabotage it. But no matter how many conspiracies they hatch, the BJP government will give statehood to J&K,” he said.
Omar says motion only seeks statehood
Omar has rejected the BJP’s interpretation, saying the resolution does not seek a vote on autonomy or special status.
He said the references to earlier resolutions were included because they remained part of the Assembly’s record and that the phrase “in addition” was intended to make clear that the National Conference had not abandoned its earlier positions.
He told the House and reporters that the resolution was “only about the restoration of statehood” and questioned the argument that the demand was contrary to the national interest.
“How can demanding statehood be anti-national?” Omar asked.
The Chief Minister also referred to the Centre’s previously stated sequence of delimitation, elections and restoration of statehood, saying that the first two steps had been completed.
Deputy CM challenges BJP’s border argument
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary responded to the BJP’s objections by questioning whether Jammu and Kashmir’s border position should be used as an argument against restoration of statehood.
“Not only J&K, but half of India is living along the border. So, under the guise of the border, should we stop demanding statehood?” Choudhary asked.
He also reminded the BJP that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and questioned why it had not yet been done.
His remarks triggered further uproar, with BJP members moving into the Well and raising slogans.
BJP stages sit-in in Well
The BJP legislators continued their protest inside the Well while the Assembly proceedings were underway, with senior party leader and MLA Shamlal Sharma addressing the protesting members.
The sit-in created the appearance of a “parallel Assembly” as the protesting legislators continued their demonstration while the Speaker and other members remained engaged with the listed business.
The confrontation also came amid a no-confidence motion moved by BJP MLA R.S. Pathania against Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
Pathania moved the motion amid slogans of “Kursi chhodo, kursi chhodo, Speaker sahib kursi chhodo” in the Assembly. Rather said the motion would be listed in the business of the House and processed according to the rules and procedure.
The Assembly is now set to take up the statehood resolution for discussion, with the disagreement over its references to earlier resolutions and the BJP’s objections to its wording likely to remain central to the debate.
