J&K Assembly’s 1st session in 6 years erupts in chaos over Article 370
On Monday morning, chaos erupted in the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly during its first session in six years. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker Wahid Parra introduced a resolution opposing the scrapping of Article 370, which provided special status to the region.
In response, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers objected to the resolution. Assembly Speaker Rahim Rather, representing the ruling National Conference, stated he had not yet admitted any such motion.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed that it was unrealistic to expect the BJP to restore Article 370. He acknowledged the resolution’s introduction, asserting, “The reality is that the people of J&K do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019.” Abdullah added that if the public had supported the revocation, the election results would have been different.
He dismissed the resolution as insignificant, suggesting it was merely for show. “If there was a purpose behind it, they would have discussed this with us beforehand,” he noted.
The BJP-led central government revoked Article 370 five years ago, a move that sparked widespread protests across Jammu and Kashmir. This decision was legally challenged in the Supreme Court, which ruled in December that Article 370 was “temporary.”
The revocation not only stripped J&K of its special status but also split the former state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Restoring Article 370 was a significant campaign issue in the recent elections, which were the first in J&K in ten years. The National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance won the October 8 election, with the NC securing 42 of J&K’s 90 seats.
Despite the NC’s success, Abdullah cautioned that expecting the BJP to restore Article 370 was naïve. He emphasized that the NC would continue advocating for the issue.
Abdullah also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his promise of restoring statehood to J&K, emphasizing that the state could not afford a confrontational relationship with the central government.
