J&K passes resolution demanding full Statehood

Notwithstanding stiff opposition from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday passed another resolution calling upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full Statehood to the Union Territory.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved the resolution on Friday, September 25, during the ongoing autumn session. It was deferred after several members sought to speak on the issue and after protests disrupted proceedings.

On Monday, it was taken up again and passed by voice vote after BJP members walked out.

The resolution will be forwarded to the Government of India.

Meanwhile, four MLAs were also marshalled out of the Assembly after BJP members created a ruckus in the House, protesting the resolution moved by the Chief Minister to restore Statehood.

The text of the resolution States: “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on June 26, 2000 and 6 November 2024, the 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 2000 resolution, passed during Farooq Abdullah’s tenure, had sought restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s pre-1953 constitutional position. The November 2024 resolution had called for dialogue on special status and constitutional guarantees after the abrogation of Article 370.

BJP legislators strongly objected to those references, arguing they amounted to an attempt to revive autonomy and special-status demands under the cover of a Statehood resolution.

Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the party supports restoration of Statehood but rejects linking it to the pre-August 5, 2019 status.

The BJP said the reference to autonomy and special status in the resolution was an insult to the Constitution and it would not allow a discussion on it or its passage in the House.

The Opposition BJP protested against the resolution with party members jumping into the well of the House, tearing business papers and conducting mock proceedings.

BJP members also demanded Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather leave the chair.

The party also submitted a notice seeking the Speaker’s removal, alleging he had allowed the resolution in violation of rules. Rather declined to step down, saying he had not read the notice and that procedure required it to be listed later.

As chaos prevailed, Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, raised provocative slogans targeting the Chief Minister. National Conference (NC) members reacted, resulting in a slogan-shouting match between the opposition and the treasury benches.

The Congress also raised slogans against the BJP Government at the Centre. Congress MLA Irfan Lone was seen displaying a banner reading “Gyanesh Kumar resign”.

As the noisy scenes continued, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary said the chair should direct the LoP to tender an apology for the “unparliamentary language” used against the chief minister.

The BJP MLAs continued their protest and attacked Congress MLAs with a microphone stand; however, the Assembly marshals overpowered them.

BJP MLAs Vikram Randhawa and Arvind Gupta, along with Congress MLAs Irfan Lone and Iftikhar Ahmad, were marshalled out of the Assembly.

Participating in the Assembly debate on statehood, the Chief Minister asked tough questions: why Jammu and Kashmir must wait for “guns to go silent”.

He also urged members of the ruling benches not to press for amendments to the resolution, saying this could provide the BJP with a reason to oppose it.

“Please don’t press for your amendments because that gives a reason to the BJP to oppose the resolution,” he told the ruling party members.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma and other BJP members raised slogans of “Delhi ke saath aankh macholi bandh karo” in the House.

Sharma objected to the language being used in the Assembly in connection with the proposed resolution.

“We also are in favour of Statehood. We want to bring Statehood,” he said. “But the kind of language being used in this House is tearing apart the basic structure of the Constitution of India.”

Responding to the argument that Statehood would be restored after the guns fell silent, Omar questioned whether this effectively meant waiting for Pakistan to stop firing before Jammu and Kashmir could regain Statehood. You are waiting for guns to go silent, following which Statehood will be restored. So does it mean you are waiting for Pakistan to keep guns silent and that will pave the way for restoration of Statehood?” Omar asked.

“So can’t our own Government, our own Prime Minister, give us Statehood?” he said.

Omar also highlighted what he described as the limitations the elected Government faces under the Union Territory arrangement.

Referring to the appointment of the Advocate General and other pending matters, he said these remained unresolved because Jammu and Kashmir continued to be a Union Territory.