Jammu & Kashmir Assembly passes resolution seeking restoration of special status

The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly passed a resolution seeking a dialogue between the Central government and elected representatives for restoration of Article 370 granting special status to the erstwhile state.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary introduced the resolution to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked by the Center on August 5, 2019. The Speaker passed the resolution by voice vote without any debate. The resolution said, ‘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,’ the resolution moved by Choudhary said. The resolution added that the process of should safeguard both national unity and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after the resolution was introduced, BJP members, including Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, opposed the resolution, saying that it is not part of the listed business. Sharma said, ‘The Act has been passed by the biggest temple of democracy in the country (Parliament)’. The Assembly witnessed a ruckus following the passage of the resolution as BJP members stormed the well of the House, tearing copies of the document and raising slogans against the speaker and the National Conference (NC) government. 

While, the congress MLA from Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat, said the BJP members have done a ‘dishonour’ to the House. When BJP members continued to raise slogans against the resolution, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said that it should be passed by voice vote and it was passed amid the uproar. As soon as the resolution was passed, BJP members came into the well of the House. After this, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings of the House for 15 minutes. However, the uproar continued even after the proceedings of the House resumed, due to which the Speaker had to adjourn the proceedings of the House for an hour. 

Independent MLAs Sheikh Khurshid Ahmed, Shabir Ahmad, Sajad Lone of the People’s Conference (PC) and three MLAs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supported the resolution. Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated by the Union government on August 5, 2019, and the power of the Parliament to do so was upheld by a Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.