Srinagar: Members from treasury benches in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly have batted for early restoration of statehood and defended Article 370, asserting it is not a crime to fight for special status.
The Assembly passed the motion of thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the absence of BJP members who walked out in protest against the passage of a resolution for the restoration of special status to the erstwhile state.
More than 20 members mostly from the treasury benches spoke in favour of the motion.
Initiating the discussion, National Conference MLA Javaid Hassan Baig questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders’ claim that peace and democracy have been established in Jammu and Kashmir with the abrogation of Article 370.
“There is a difference between establishing peace and the absence of violence. Democracy can be restored only if you honour this House, honour the resolutions passed by this House. You say we have demolished the walls, you have demolished bridges and erected walls,” Baig said.
Muzaffar Khan, an independent MLA who was one of the petitioners before the Supreme Court in the Article 370 case, said the special status provision “is not a Pakistani agenda”.
“It was not given by the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. It was part of the Constitution of India. If Article 370 was ultra vires, then what about the Constitution?
“You are raising fingers at the Constituent Assembly of India and constitutional forefathers. Do you have a better understanding than your forefathers?” Khan said.
He said that statehood is the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Peace secured through the barrel of the gun is not peace but suppression,” he said.
Khan said he intends to approach the Supreme Court on the issue of statehood.
“I will definitely go on this. It is not only statehood for us but a matter of honour and dignity,” he said adding, “We will request through this august House to restore statehood at the earliest as promised before the Supreme Court”.
Nizamuddin Bhat of Congress slammed the protests by the BJP MLAs in the assembly over the past three days.
“Let the system make it clear once for all that you can live here but without rights. You can have institutions but they will not be functional.
“What this House had to do, it has done with honour. The ball is in the court of New Delhi and we hope for judicious disposal,” he added.
PDP’s Rafiq Naik said the BJP members’ accusations against Kashmir-based parties were hurtful.
“I am from a family that has been nationalist all along since 1947 but the utterances of the BJP members have hurt me. My father (former speaker Ali Mohammad Naik) was shot by the terrorists. And they (BJP) will call us terrorists now!
“We are not asking for a separate country or accession to Pakistan. The Supreme Court has not closed doors on us. We will continue to fight for special status. It is not a crime,” the MLA from Tral said.
CPIM MLA M Y Tarigami said as a citizen, he had a right to criticise the Supreme Court judgement and say that it did not do justice,
“I have this right. … When Article 370 was discussed in the Constituent Assembly of India, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee presided. There was no dissenting note from him.
“Are they questioning the decision of the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir which ratified accession to India?” he said.
