Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Monday passed a resolution seeking urgent restoration of full statehood, amid a walkout by the opposition BJP.
The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday last week. However, it was deferred as several members wanted to speak over the issue.
The opposition BJP protested against the resolution on Friday as well as on Monday, with party members jumping into the well of the House, tearing business papers and conducted mock proceedings.
“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 resolution read.
The NC-led government headed by Farooq Abdullah had passed a 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.
Several members, including from the ruling National Conference (NC), had moved amendments to the resolution, with many seeking that the resolution also demand the restoration of special status.
However, while responding during the debate, the chief minister urged the members to withdraw their amendments, saying “they had got trapped in this scheme (of the BJP) and moved amendments”.
“This House has already passed resolutions twice for special status — one in (former CM) Farooq Abdullah time, and the other in 2024 soon after formation of this government. Special status is a provision that other states do not have. We have asked the Centre to restore the special provisions which we had before 2019. So, I request my colleagues not to press the amendments which will give the BJP an excuse to oppose it,” Abdullah said.
Following the CM’s appeal, the Speaker asked the members whether they intended not to press the amendments, to which all eight MLAs agreed.
The Speaker then put the resolution to vote, even as BJP members continued with their protest.
The resolution was passed through voice vote amid a walkout by the BJP.
The BJP said the reference to autonomy and special status in the resolution was an insult to the Constitution and it would not allow a discussion on it or its passage in the House.
