The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking restoration of full statehood, with the BJP legislators objecting to references to the erstwhile state’s pre-August 5, 2019 status.

Ten amendments have been moved to the resolution, eight of which seek to expand it to include restoration of the special status that Jammu and Kashmir held before August 2019.

What happened in the assembly today

Monday’s proceedings turned stormy as the BJP legislators raised slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and entered the well of the House, demanding that Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather leave the chair.

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The BJP said 23 members had signed a motion against the Speaker and demanded that the motion be taken up first and put to vote. In response, Rather said he had not seen the motion and read out the relevant rules, saying that even if a notice for a motion against the Speaker was submitted in writing, it would become part of the House’s business on a date not earlier than 14 days.

BJP legislators raised slogans

BJP legislators were seen raising slogans in the House, “Speaker sahib, kursi chodo, kursi chodo” (Speaker sahib, leave the chair)

Opposition leader Sunil Sharma said the BJP was also in favour of statehood but objected to the language used in Omar’s resolution.

“Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive state; the enemy is at its borders. We are also for the statehood, but the kind of language or words that have been used in this resolution are unacceptable and unconstitutional,” Sharma said.

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He also referred to the pre-1953 status sought in the 2000 resolution, saying that it had been rejected by the Centre when Omar Abdullah was part of the government.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary also hit back saying Jammu and Kashmir was not the only border state.

“Jammu and Kashmir is not the only border state, Rajasthan is also… does that mean we should drop the demand for statehood, for special status?” Choudhary said.

He also questioned the delay in fulfilling promises made by the Government of India on the floor of Parliament.

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What are the proposed amendments

Six National Conference legislators have sought the addition of Articles 370 and 35A in the resolution. An amendment moved by NC’s Baramulla MLA Javid Hassan Baig seeks to add the words “along with restoration of Article 370 and the constitutional protections formerly available under Article 35A” after the reference to full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Similar amendments have been moved by NC legislators Altaf Ahmad Wani, Tanvir Sadiq, Chowdhary Mohammad Akram, Ajaz Ahmad Jan and Hilal Ahmad Lone.

PDP MLA Waheed Para has also sought to expand the resolution, proposing the inclusion of restoration of autonomy and Articles 370 and 35A in their original form.

Congress legislator Nizam-ud-din Bhat has moved another amendment seeking the addition of the words as a reminder to respect its own commitments made at various forums and to the deprived people of Jammu and Kashmir at the end of the resolution.

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The CM had moved the resolution in the Assembly on Friday, calling upon the Government of India for “full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir”. The resolution also referred to resolutions passed by the House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024.

The 2000 resolution, passed during the tenure of Farooq Abdullah, had sought restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s pre-1953 status and was rejected by the Centre. The 2024 resolution had called for dialogue with representatives of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of its special status.