BJP Members Stage Strong Protest Against CM Omar Abdullah’s Statehood Resolution; House Witnesses Uproar
Srinagar, Sept 25: BJP MLA Ch. Vikram Randhawa was marshalled out of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday amid a major uproar over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The disruption began after the Chief Minister moved the resolution in the House, with BJP members strongly objecting to a reference to the June 2000 resolution on greater autonomy passed by the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
According to the resolution, the House referred to resolutions passed on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024, before calling upon the Government of India for the “immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood” to Jammu and Kashmir.
The reference to the 2000 autonomy resolution triggered strong protests from BJP legislators. BJP members entered the Well of the House, raised slogans and tore copies of the resolution during the heated proceedings.
BJP MLA R.S. Pathania was quoted as saying that the BJP would not allow discussion on the issue of autonomy in the Assembly. BJP members also questioned the manner in which the resolution was introduced and alleged that parliamentary procedures were not followed.
Amid the continuing commotion, Vikram Randhawa was marshalled out of the House after, according to reports, he created a ruckus during the proceedings.
The confrontation also led to heated exchanges between members of the treasury benches and the BJP. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather repeatedly appealed to members to return to their seats and restore order.
As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes. Reports said the proceedings witnessed intense exchanges between BJP and National Conference members, with the situation escalating into physical confrontations.
The 2000 autonomy resolution, referred to in the present resolution, had been passed during the Farooq Abdullah-led government and sought restoration of greater autonomy as it existed before August 9, 1953. The Assembly had subsequently passed another resolution on November 6, 2024, seeking restoration of special status.
The latest episode has brought the issue of statehood, autonomy and the political status of Jammu and Kashmir back to the centre of debate inside the Assembly, with the BJP strongly opposing the inclusion of the earlier autonomy resolution in the Chief Minister’s motion.(KNC)
