jammu and kashmir assembly – TheNewsHub

‘Will run parallel J&K govt if…’: BJP warns Speaker, Congress-NC govt after MLAs ‘manhandled’ in assembly

Aseem — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:44:32 +0000

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Sharma threatened to run a “parallel” government in the Union Territory in protest against the Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim. “We held a parallel assembly…the Speaker had our MLAs marshalled out. We raised the issues of our areas and the media covered it,” he said.

He warned to not take this “parallel” assembly lightly. “If your [J&K Assembly Speaker/ government] behaviour challenges Indian integrity and sovereignty, we will run a parallel government and this is my warning to them,” LoP Sunil Sharma said.

Also Read | At Maha rally, PM attacks INDIA bloc for J&K assembly resolution on Article 370

He also posted a video of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders holding a “parallel assembly”. He wrote. “Today is a black chapter in the history of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. We, all BJP MLAs, will ensure that no anti-India conspiracy succeeds. The National Conference should not think that they can suppress our voice by forcibly evicting us from the Assembly.”

Massive row in J&K Assembly

Sunil Sharma’s comments came after a massive row erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Friday over a resolution defending Article 370.

Sharma said the Speaker himself drafted this resolution, and demanded the J&K government to take back the “unconstitutional” resolution.

The opposition leader alleged that the BJP MLAs were “manhandled” by marshals on the direction of the Speaker. “We wanted a debate on it but the MLAs were marshalled out…so we are holding a parallel assembly here,” he said.

Also Read | Omar Abdullah dismisses PDP’s Article 370 resolution – ‘only for cameras’

The ruckus ensued in Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Friday, the third day in a row, after the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Kupwara exhibited a banner in support of the restoration of Article 370 in the Union Territory.

BJP MLAs raised slogans and clashed with fellow members, including Engineer Rashid’s brother and Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed over a banner he was carrying. BJP MLAs were seen entering the well of the House. They, along with Sheikh, were marshalled out of the House on the orders of Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

A day earlier, on November 7, MLA Sheikh Khurshid displayed a banner on Article 370, the provision granting special status to the erstwhile state abolished in August 2019.

A resolution opposing the revocation of Article 370 and supporting the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was passed in the first session of the newly elected assembly in the Union Territory by a voice vote, news agency ANI reported.

The first session of the newly elected assembly in Jammu Kashmir kick-started on November 4 with the introduction of the resolution.

‘Darkest day in the democracy’

Reacting to the ruckus, J-K LoP Sunil Sharma termed it as the “darkest day in the democracy.” He accused Assembly Speaker of behaving as the “Speaker of National Conference,” instead of the House.

BJP leader Sunil Sharma said Article 370 was removed by the highest temple of democracy in the country and it was settled by the Supreme Court.

“Article 370 is now history. They are comparing the Article 370 with a word like special status which does not even exist in the Constitution,” he said.

Also Read | Omar Abdullah: Foolish to seek Article 370 restoration from Modi govt

“I challenge [chief minister] Omar Abdullah that if the word special status with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is found anywhere in the Constitution, I will retire from politics,” he said.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which had conferred special rights on Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories.

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Omar Abdullah dismisses PDP's assembly resolution seeking restoration of Article 370 – ‘only for Cameras’

Aseem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:57:01 +0000

Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said on November 4 that the resolution moved in the assembly seeking restoration of Article 370 was introduced just ‘for the cameras’ and carries no real significance.

Abdullah said if there was a genuine intention behind the resolution, it should have been discussed with the National Conference, the ruling party in the Union Territory.

“We knew that preparation for this was being made by a member. The reality is that the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019. If they had approved, then the results today would have been different. How the House will reflect and discuss this will not be decided by any one member,” Abdullah said, addressing the House soon after the newly-elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was marred by ruckus on the first day after opposition MLA Wahid Parra of the People’s Democratic Party moved a resolution against the scrapping of Article 370.

“The resolution brought today has no importance, but it is only for the cameras. If there was a purpose behind it, then they would have discussed this with us before,” Abdullah said.

The erstwhile state lost special status and was bifurcated into two union territories after the Narendra Modi-led Union government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019.

Waheed Parra’s Resolution

Soon after Parra, 36, started reading the resolution, BJP lawmakers in the Assembly registered opposition. The speaker adjourned the house amid calls to meet again for L-G Manoj Sinha’s address.

Jammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir through the J&K reorganisation Act, 2019 and calls for its complete rescinding,” reads the resolution,” read the resolution.

“House further resolves to strive for the restoration of special status and all constitutional guarantees granted to Jammu and Kashmir in their original prisitine form,” it read.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti lauded the PDP leader for introducing the resolution in the assembly.

“Proud of Waheed Parra for introducing resolution in JK Assembly opposing the revocation of Article 370 and resolve to restore the special status God bless you,” the former chief minister wrote in a post on X.

The restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood as well as implementation of the autonomy resolution was one of the main promises made by the National conference in its manifesto for the Jammu-Kashmir elections.

The resolution brought today has no importance but it is only for the cameras.

The Congress-National Conference alliance won 49 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the BJP won 29 seats. The Assembly election was held after a gap of 10 years and since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on September 16.

Ruckus in J-K Assembly's first session after PDP MLA moves resolution against Article 370 abrogation; BJP protests

Aseem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 06:02:34 +0000

The newly-elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly faced chaos on the first day after opposition member Waheed Parra of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) moved a resolution against the scrapping of Article 370.

The erstwhile state lost its special status and was bifurcated into two union territories after the Narendra Modi-led Union government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019.

Soon after Parra began reading the resolution, BJP lawmakers protested vehemently and created a din. The Speaker adjourned the House amid the uproar to meet again for Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s address.

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly convened for its first session in six years on Monday, November 4, and will conclude on November 8. Besides the L-G’s address, the Assembly will take up obituary references for former legislators who have passed away since the last session of the erstwhile J&K Assembly.

The Contentious Resolution

The Speaker of the House, Rahim Rather of the ruling National Conference, however, said he had not admitted any resolution as yet.

“This house opposes the revocation of special status of J&K and constitutional disempowerment of Jammu and Kashmir through the J&K reorganisation Act, 2-19 and calls for its complete rescinding,” the resolution reads.

“House further resolves to strive for the restoration of special status and all constitutional guarantees granted to Jammu and Kashmir in their original pristine form,” it read.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti congratulated Parra for moving the resolution.

“Proud of Waheed Parra for introducing resolution in JK Assembly opposing the revocation of Article 370 and resolve to restore the special status. God bless you [sic],” she said in a post on X.

Who is Waheed Parra?

Waheed Parra, the MLA from Pulwama, lost the Lok Sabha Election 2024 from the Srinagar parliamentary seat. He is the President of PDP’s youth wing and was nominated as a Peace Fellow at the Yale International Leadership Centre in 2023 but could not attend as he was denied a passport.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Parra in a military-related case three days after he filed his nomination for the District Development Council (DDC) election from a Pulwama constituency in November 2020. He won the election from jail.

He was granted bail on January 9, 2021, but was again arrested outside the prison by Counter Intelligence Kashmir, a special cell of the J&K Police, for allegedly having links with militants and separatists. He was finally released on bail in June 2023.

Veteran NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather elected Speaker as J&K Legislative Assembly meets first time in 6 years

Aseem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:49:27 +0000

Senior National Conference leader and former minister Abdul Rahim Rather was elected speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, which convened in Srinagar on Monday, November 4, for its first session in six years.

The Union Territory’s Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Cooperatives, Javid Ahmed Dar, moved the motion to elect Rather as the speaker of the 90-member house.

After his election, Rather was escorted to the chair by the Leader of the House, Omar Abdullah, and BJP’s Sunil Sharma, the Leader of the Opposition.

Rather had earlier held the post of the Speaker in the legislative assembly of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. He was also the Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2008, when the PDP-Congress coalition government ruled the State.

All eyes will be on the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha‘s address scheduled at 11:30 am. The session will continue for 5 days.

All eyes on Article 370 resolution

The NC, which won the UT’s assembly polls in alliance with the Congress party, is expected to move a resolution on Article 370 to ‘register a protest against the Centre’s measures taken on August 5, 2019’.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government’s move in 2019 not only abrogated the special provision but also split the erstwhile state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, also NC vice president, had pledged to bring a resolution on Article 370 in the Assembly in its first session.

The NC has the support of 55 MLAs in the 90-member Assembly, which was elected in September-October after a 10-year gap. Jammu and Kashmir was under the President’s rule from 2018 until the latest assembly elections.

Abdul Rahim Rather’s election as Speaker symbolizes a new chapter in Jammu and Kashmir’s legislative history.

The Assembly’s first session started on November 4 and will conclude on November 8. Besides the L-G address, obituary references for former legislators who passed away since the last session of the erstwhile J&K Assembly are also scheduled to be taken up.

As per the schedule, the Motion of Thanks on the L-G’s address will be discussed on November 6 and 7.