J&K Assembly Passes Statehood Resolution Amid BJP Walkout

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly today passed a resolution for the restoration of statehood amid pandemonium and a walkout by BJP MLAs. The resolution was moved by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He termed restoration of statehood as a matter of right  and not any charity of the BJP government, and asked the Centre what's the "appropriate time" to restore statehood.

He questioned whether the delay in restoration of statehood is happening because of terrorism and took a swipe that if that was so, then "the decision to restore statehood rests with Pakistan, not India."

"If Delhi feels statehood should be restored only after militancy is over then the decision of granting statehood is not with Delhi. It is with Islamabad," Abdullah said. He said they have been "humiliated" by the central government and he is not begging for the restoration of statehood. "It's a matter of right, not a charity from the centre."

The assembly saw commotion earlier today amid debate over the resolution for restoration of statehood. As the house was convened, all BJP MLAs stormed into the well of the house shouting slogans for sacking the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and removing assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

There were unruly scenes of attempts to throw microphones on Congress MLAs by a BJP MLA. Two BJP leaders were marshalled out. Subsequently, two Congress members also tried to enter the well of the house.

Multiple amendment motions had been moved by members including MLAs from the ruling National Conference calling for the inclusion of the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A in the statehood resolution moved by Omar Abdullah on Friday. The major contentious point in the resolution is a reference to the autonomy resolution of 2000. The BJP is terming it as "anti-national and Pakistani agenda."

The BJP strongly opposed it and tore up the copies of the resolution. Sunil Sharma, Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, has also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the ongoing session of the assembly.

Sharma blamed Omar Abdullah for sabotaging the restoration of statehood by making a reference to the autonomy resolution. He told NDTV that the Home Minister is unhappy over the reference to autonomy in the resolution but BJP remains committed to the restoration of statehood at an "appropriate time."

"The BJP is a party that keeps its promises. BJP is committed to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. If anyone is trying to sabotage the restoration of statehood, it is Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,'' Sharma said.

"What was the need to bring up the autonomy issue, a pre-1953 position of Jammu and Kashmir at this point? They brought a resolution in 2000. The resolution was passed in the assembly by his father Farooq Abdullah. At that time, Omar Abdullah was part of the BJP-led government at the Centre which threw the autonomy resolution into the dustbin," he added.

On June 26, 2000, a resolution was passed by the assembly calling for the restoration of the erstwhile state's pre-1953 position when it had its own prime minister and sadre reyasat (president). The Supreme Court and Election Commission of India had no jurisdiction over the erstwhile state back then.

Following the ruckus, the Speaker adjourned the house for half an hour.  As the house was conveyed after adjournment, BJP members again stormed into the well of the house and raised slogans, "We will not allow the disintegration of the country'."

Abdullah said that for the last two years, he has been pleading with the central government for the restoration of statehood but nothing has been done. He alleged that the local BJP leadership is against the restoration of statehood and they stood "exposed".

"This resolution is only about the restoration of statehood. This resolution will also expose the real enemies of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Who wants restoration of statehood and who is against it?" the chief minister said.

"Statehood is not for my government, it's not for my party. It's for the identity of Jammu and Kashmir. It's for the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah said, adding his party has given enormous sacrifices for the nation and it doesn't need any certificate from the BJP.