The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed an unprecedented din on Thursday as members of the ruling National Conference (NC), joined by Congress allies and Independents, clashed with the Opposition BJP over a resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeking the immediate restoration of statehood to the Union Territory.
Amid chaos and pandemonium, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House until Monday.
Although the resolution sought the restoration of statehood, its contents triggered an uproar in the House after BJP members objected to the mention of the 2000 autonomy resolution, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on June 26, 2000.
“In addition to the Resolutions passed by this House on 26th June 2000 and 6th November 2024, this 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 moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reads.
Enraged over the mention of the 2000 autonomy resolution, BJP MLAs resorted to shouting slogans.
The House erupted in sloganeering, uproar and heated exchanges. BJP members stormed the Well and tore up copies of the resolution.
This is the first time in 26 years that the National Conference-led government has officially raised the issue of greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, going beyond the demand for restoration of full statehood.
An agitated BJP MLA, Vikram Randhawa, even picked up a chair belonging to an Assembly member sitting in the Well in front of the Speaker’s podium. The Speaker ordered that he be marshalled out of the House.
When the situation did not subside, the Speaker first adjourned the House for half an hour at 11:45 a.m. and later, at 1:15 p.m., adjourned it until Monday.
Interestingly, for the first time in 26 years, the National Conference-led government has officially included the demand for greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir in an Assembly resolution. The demand is linked to the 2000 resolution, which sought greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with its constitutional position prior to August 9, 1953.
The then Farooq Abdullah government unanimously passed the resolution on June 26, 2000, and sent it to the central government. However, it was rejected by the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
Omar reminds Modi of the promise on statehood.
In his resolution, Omar Abdullah stated that, in addition to the resolutions passed on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024, the House calls upon the Government of India to “immediately and without delay” restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and forward the resolution to the central government.
Omar stated that restoration of statehood was crucial and that the denial of it was causing harm. He said the central government had outlined a three-stage process—delimitation, elections and then statehood. Delimitation had been completed, elections had been held, and people had participated enthusiastically, but the promise of restoring statehood had not yet been fulfilled.
The Chief Minister also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in the House when the issue of restoration of statehood was raised in Katra: “This is not an ordinary promise; it is Modi’s promise. It will be fulfilled.”
Omar said the Government of India now needed to be reminded of its promise. Referring to the Leader of the Opposition’s repeated statements regarding statehood, he urged that the issue be discussed in the House itself.
“We don’t want a half-hearted state”
The Chief Minister clarified that Jammu and Kashmir did not want a “half-hearted state”. He said the people had been promised full statehood and wanted it back.
Omar also highlighted administrative difficulties arising from the absence of statehood. He said that while the Power Department was under his control, files related to the Power Development Corporation did not reach the elected government. Similarly, he said the government provided budgets for SKIMS, ESMC and other important institutions, but files related to the utilisation of those funds did not reach the government.
He questioned that if the elected government was said to have all powers except those relating to security and law and order, why did it not have the authority to take decisions on important matters such as energy?
BJP protests mention of ‘greater autonomy’
As soon as Omar began reading the resolution and the 2000 resolution was mentioned, BJP MLAs stood up from their seats. They questioned the need to include the 2000 autonomy resolution in a resolution seeking the restoration of full statehood.
BJP MLA Pawan Gupta asked why autonomy was being mentioned, arguing that the 2000 resolution pertained to a period when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state and that it was now a Union Territory.
Rajiv Jasrotia asked the Speaker to first explain the inclusion of the autonomy resolution, while RS Pathania said the party would oppose raising the issue of autonomy in the House.
BJP members protested, describing the resolution as unconstitutional, and later stormed the Well. Copies of the resolution were also torn during the uproar.
Balwant Singh Mankotia climbed onto a table in protest. BJP members reached the Well amid resistance from marshals. Meanwhile, two Congress MLAs also attempted to enter the Well.
A scuffle broke out between Independent MLA Shabbir Kule and BJP MLA Arvind Gupta, but marshals intervened and separated them. The House remained engulfed in chaos and disorder.
What was the greater autonomy resolution of 2000?
The greater autonomy resolution was passed on June 26, 2000, during the National Conference-led government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution sought greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir and called for reconsideration of the constitutional relationship between the Union and the state, including restoration of the pre-1953 position.
The resolution was subsequently rejected by the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, which termed it unacceptable.