A massive brawl broke out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and marshals of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Thursday after the speaker directed the eviction of opposition members who had stormed the well during their protest over the special status resolution.
The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) moved a fresh resolution in the assembly to seek restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. “This House strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and statehood, undermining the foundational guarantees and protections originally accorded to the region and its people by the Constitution of India,” the resolution read.
The resolution was submitted by PDP members Waheed Para (MLA Pulwama) and Fayaz Mir (MLA Kupwara), Peoples’ Conference MLA from Handwara Sajad Lone, Awami Ittehad Party MLA from Langate Sheikh Khursheed (brother of MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid), and independent MLA from Shopian Shabir Kullay.
This came a day after the Assembly had passed a resolution on special status, seeking a “dialogue” with the Union Territory’s elected representatives for restoration of the same as well as constitutional guarantees, “and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions”. BJP MLAs had stormed the Well of the House yesterday as well when the resolution was moved.
While the scuffle ensued, PDP’s Waheed Para and Fayaz Mir and Peoples Conference’s Sajad Gani Lone brought forth another resolution seeking the restoration of the special status. The resolution was also signed by Sheikh Khursheed.
PDP MLAs also called for the reversal of all changes introduced in the Union territory after the erstwhile state was stripped of its special status in 2019. The Modi government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Article 35A gave special rights to the permanent residents of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
At least three MLAs were marshalled out on the directions of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather but the brawl ensued due to resistance put up by the opposition members.
