Brawl Breaks Out in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Over Special Status Resolution
Srinagar: A violent altercation erupted on Thursday between BJP MLAs and marshals of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly following the Speaker’s directive to evict opposition members who had stormed the well of the House during a protest over the special status resolution. The chaos led to the adjournment of the session for the day as tensions escalated.
Protest Against Special Status Resolution
The uproar began when BJP members vocally opposed a resolution passed the previous day that reaffirmed the importance of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. The resolution, moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, calls for the restoration of Article 370 and 35A, provisions that provided special privileges to the region before their revocation by the Government of India in August 2019.
As the assembly session began, BJP MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, protested vigorously against the resolution. During the heated debate, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader and MLA Langate, Sheikh Khursheed, jumped into the well of the House, displaying a banner calling for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. This act incited the BJP members, who immediately surged into the well, tore the banner, and clashed with opposition lawmakers. The Speaker of the Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes to control the situation.
Escalation and Eviction
Upon the resumption of the session, BJP members continued their protests, with Sunil Sharma vocalizing his demand to end what he described as the National Conference’s “drama” surrounding the special status issue. In response, Speaker Rather warned the members not to defy the rules, emphasizing that he was closely monitoring the actions of the lawmakers.
As the protests intensified and MLAs from both sides stood on their feet, shouting slogans, the Speaker directed the eviction of BJP members who had stormed the well. The decision led to a violent brawl between the BJP MLAs and the assembly marshals, who attempted to remove them from the floor.
The situation turned particularly tense when Shagun Parihar, the lone woman BJP MLA, stood on a table, prompting the intervention of female marshals to deal with her. As the BJP members were forcefully removed, they clashed with the marshals, leading to three MLAs being marshalled out amidst loud thumping of tables by the treasury benches.
Slogans and Allegations
Amidst the mayhem, the BJP and National Conference (NC) members exchanged heated slogans. BJP MLAs chanted, “Balidaan huway jahan Mukherjee woh Kashmir hamara hai” (Where Mukherjee sacrificed, that Kashmir is ours), while NC MLAs countered with, “Jis Kashmir ko khoon say seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai” (The Kashmir we nurtured with blood, that Kashmir is ours).
Minister Satish Sharma of the National Conference accused the BJP of using a “divide and rule” strategy, referring to the BJP’s actions as detrimental to unity. He also criticized the BJP members for standing on a table that contained the Constitution of India during the protest, stating that their behavior was disrespectful and should be punished.
The Resolution and Its Impact
The resolution, which has been a point of contention, stresses the importance of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, calling for the restoration of the constitutional guarantees that once safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the region’s people. It urges the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir to restore these provisions, while ensuring the process safeguards both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of the region.
The uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly highlights the ongoing political divide in the region over the status of Article 370 and 35A, with the opposition calling for their restoration, while the BJP and its allies continue to support the constitutional changes that have been implemented.
As the day concluded with the assembly adjourned, the protests underscored the deep political rift and the volatile nature of the issue, which continues to dominate the political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir.
