Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the assembly to seek urgent restoration of full statehood to the union territory, leading to ugly scenes in the House and even fist fights.
Members of the opposition BJP stormed the well of the House in protest, and angry words broke out between them and legislators of the ruling National Conference (NC).
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather later adjourned the House when his repeated pleas asking the MLAs to go back to their seats went unheeded.
BJP MLAs protested against the resolution, which has a reference to the autonomy resolution moved by the NC government in June 2000 when Jammu and Kashmir was a state.
It reads: “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024, the House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this resolution be forwarded to the Government of India.”
The NC-led government headed by Farooq Abdullah had passed the resolution on June 26, 2000 for restoration of greater autonomy as existed before August 9, 1953.
On November 6, 2024, the house passed a resolution seeking the restoration of special status.
As soon as Omar Abdullah tabled the resolution on Friday, the treasury benches welcomed it with thumping of desks. However, the reference to the 2000 resolution triggered protests from BJP members.
“We will not allow discussion on the issue of autonomy in the House,” BJP MLA R S Pathania said.
BJP MLAs alleged that rules were flouted as the chief minister read the resolution even before tabling it in the House and tore copies of the resolution.
Several MLAs got into heated arguments as the pandemonium continued.
Speaking on the resolution, the chief minister said the House should debate and pass this resolution in one voice as denial of statehood has proven to be extremely detrimental to Jammu and Kashmir.
“A promise was made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. A promise was made in Parliament, a promise in the Supreme Court, and a promise in various public forums, that a three-step process would be implemented: first delimitation, then elections, and then statehood,” he said.
Abdullah said while delimitation happened and elections were also held in which people participated enthusiastically and willingly, the statehood has not been restored.
“We kept waiting. Publicly, privately, in every meeting, in every forum, we reminded the government of India of its promise to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But that promise remained unfulfilled. Today, through this House, we want to remind the government of India that something must finally be done about its promises,” Abdullah said.
He said even the prime minister has associated his name with the promise.
“We were present at a function, the LoP was there, as were others, where I spoke about statehood in my speech and said that it was a promise of the Government of India. So, when the prime minister was giving his speech, he said that this is not an ordinary promise, it is Modi’s promise, meaning this is more than a common promise,” Abdullah said.
He asked then why is it not being fulfilled?
Abdullah said the LoP makes some statement over statehood every second or third day, and so, the government thought it is better to discuss the issue in the assembly.
He claimed files of the Power Development Corporation and SKIMS do not reach the elected government.
Referring to the wording in the intro — the reference to the autonomy resolution — Abdullah said the reference was put so as not to provide opportunity to anyone to “misinterpret it”.
“If we hadn’t initially written it, some of our friends might have said, we have abandoned the rest, and come to just statehood. So, we are saying that those resolutions have their place. This resolution neither abrogates them, nor subjugates them, or ignores them,” he added.
On speculation about full restoration, he said, “This is what we hear every now and then: we will get half a state, we will get a quarter state, we will get a state without law and order. Sir, we don’t want that kind of state. We were promised a full state, and we want the full state back.”
As he finished his remarks, BJP members stood on their feet and protested.
BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia said the government was not discussing issues of the people “but wants to discuss autonomy”.
NC and Congress MLAs also stood on their feet and chanted slogans including “apna haq leke rahenge”, “Jo statehood na desake, woh sarkar nikami hai”, and “cheeen ke lenge apna haq”.
Mankotia responded saying “Jammu Kashmir ke logon ke dushman hi hi”.
The BJP members also raised slogans like “autonomy resolution nahin chalega”, “jo Kashmir hamara hai woh saare ka saare hai’, “Jahan huwe balidan Mukherji, woh Kashmir hamara hai”, “Ali Baba ke challis chor”, and “Bharat mata ki jai”.
As the pandemonium continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for half an hour. After the House resumed, the BJP continued with its protest. The Speaker told them that a discussion on the resolution will take place on Monday.
BJP’s R S Pathania asked the Speaker under which rule was the resolution allowed.
Jumping into the arguments, minister Sakina Itoo asked the BJP members under which law were Article 370 and statehood “taken away”.
BJP members again stormed into the Well and shouted slogans like “anti-national agenda nahin chalega”.
In between, the PDP members raised placards demanding restoration of Article 370.
As the melee continued, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa tried to grab a chair but he was marshalled out.
The Speaker then adjourned the House for the day due to Friday prayers.
Speaking to reporters outside the House, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said BJP won’t allow a debate or admission on autonomy or Article 370.
