Srinagar, Sep 25 (KNO): Pandemonium broke out in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tabled a resolution seeking the restoration of the full statehood. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests over the reference to the autonomy resolution in it.
As soon as Question Hour concluded, the Chief Minister, according to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), moved the resolution calling for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
“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 full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this Resolution be forwarded to the Government of India,” the resolution stated.
In 2000, the legislature of the erstwhile state had passed a resolution seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy- the pre‑1953 position.
The 2024 resolution had urged the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives for the restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees.
The tabling of Friday’s resolution came as a surprise to the entire House, as it was not listed in the business circulated by the Assembly Secretariat on Thursday evening.
Speaking after moving the resolution, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the House should discuss and pass it, as the non‑restoration of statehood had proved detrimental to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“A commitment was made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The commitment was made in Parliament, the Supreme Court as well as in different public gatherings that a three‑step process would follow: first delimitation, then elections, and then statehood,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that the processes of delimitation and elections had been completed, and the people were eagerly waiting for the restoration of statehood.
“The delimitation process was completed. I would not go into how it was carried out. Elections also took place and people participated in large numbers. We did not receive complaints from any area that voters were coerced to vote. People came out from areas where we had neither expected nor seen them voting in the past 30-35 years. They also perhaps came out to vote in the hope of the implementation of the third step,” he said.
The Chief Minister said they had been waiting for the restoration of statehood, reminding the Government of India in every meeting and forum of its commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“But the commitment has not been fulfilled. We want to remind the Government of India that something should be done about this commitment. The Hon’ble Prime Minister associated his name with the promise. I and the Leader of Opposition were present at the function where I spoke about statehood and said this was the Government of India’s commitment. When the Prime Minister addressed the gathering, he said ‘Modi ka vaada hai’ (It is Modi’s promise). It means this is not a normal promise - it is more than that,” he said.
The Chief Minister said they had referred to the 2000 and 2024 resolutions to avoid any misinterpretation.
“We have chosen the words of the resolution after due deliberations so that nobody misinterprets it. Had we avoided any reference to the 2000 and 2024 resolutions at the beginning, some friends would have accused us of giving up on other issues and seeking only statehood,” he said.
The Chief Minister clarified that the resolution neither replaces the earlier ones, nor subsumes them, nor ignores them.
“This House owns those resolutions. They stand, and we own those resolutions,” he said, adding that the current resolution is in addition to them.
As the Chief Minister concluded his speech, BJP MLA Rajiv Jasrotia stood up and protested against the reference to the 2000 resolution.
“What does the Government want to discuss?” Jasrotia asked.
The treasury benches replied “autonomy,” triggering heated arguments between the two sides.
BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia said they would not allow autonomy to be discussed in the House.
“Hum cheen ke layenge apna haq (We will snatch back our rights),” NC legislators shouted in response.
Amid commotion in the House, the Congress also joined NC legislators to counter BJP MLAs. PDP MLAs and PC MLA Sajad Gani Lone also stood up to support the resolution.
Amid slogans and counter‑slogans, BJP MLAs trooped into the well of the House and staged massive protests.
Congress legislators Irfan Hafiz Lone, Iftikhar, Nizamuddin Bhat and independent MLA Shabir Kulley tried to enter the well but were prevented by Marshals.
Amid the din, BJP legislators tore the resolution, with some of them climbing onto seats.
“Jis Kashmir mein balidan hua Mukherjee, woh Kashmir humara hai (The Kashmir where Shyama Prasad Mukherjee sacrificed his life is ours),” and “Desh ke tukde nahi sahenge (We will not tolerate the division of the nation),” BJP legislators shouted.
NC legislators countered with slogans like “Special status ko wapas karo (Return special status).”
Amid continued disruptions, the Speaker adjourned the House for half an hour.
When proceedings resumed, BJP members again raised slogans opposing the resolution and its reference to autonomy.
As BJP members questioned the legal basis of the resolution, Minister Sakina Masood Ittoo asked under which law Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood had been removed.
“Tell us the law under which statehood was taken away from us. Tell us the law which allows you to tear the papers,” she said.
The minister also objected to gestures made by BJP legislators during the exchange.
“Don’t show me your hand - show it to somebody else,” she said.
The disruptions continued, with BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa lifting a chair, apparently to throw it towards the treasury benches. Marshals overpowered him and evicted him from the House.
As the uproar continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day—(KNO)