Chaos In Jammu And Kashmir Assembly over Article 370

THIS was the third successive day when the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly turned into a battlefield over the contentious resolution seeking immediate restoration of special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Shouting matches, physical confrontations, and even walkout by BJP literally marked the session as several BJP members jumped into the well of the house and then had to be marshalled out.
It started on Wednesday when the National Conference introduced in the Assembly a resolution to reinstate special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP opposed the resolution, terming it "illegal", and demanded its withdrawal. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected the demand, saying the House alone could review any resolution passed by it and not the Speaker.

The discord began on Wednesday when the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) introduced a fresh resolution in support of reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A. The BJP opposed the resolution and called it "illegal" and demanded that it be withdrawn. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected this demand. He said that "reverse the authority lay with the House itself, not the Speaker". The brief scuffle began after AIP leader Sheikh Khursheed entered the assembly well, holding a banner which said: "Return 370 and 35A". BJP legislators quickly snatched it and tore it up. People's Conference MLA Sajad Lone came to the support of Mr. Khursheed. This followed a 15-minute adjournment of the House. The workers of BJP resumed their protest when the House reassembled, unmindful of Speaker's earnest appeal for order. "Do not force me to take decisions which I don't want to," he cautioned as BJP members resumed slogan-shouting hailing Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder. Thereupon NC workers countered with slogans on great sacrifices for the sake of the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir.

It turned ugly with speaker Rather ordering the removal of several protesting BJP members, which led to a scuffle with assembly marshals. Three BJP MLAs were finally escorted out while treasury bench members clapped in appreciation of the step.
Accusing BJP of resorting to divisive tactics, Minister Satish Sharma termed its action "seditious". The BJP MLAs "respected the Constitution" by "standing on the document", the minister claimed, even as he demanded disciplinary action against them.
The opposition MLAs from PDP, People's Conference and AIP submitted a fresh resolution against the August 2019 abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in unison.
The new resolution, moved by PDP MLAs Waheed Para and Fayaz Mir, and People's Conference MLA Sajad Lone, termed the abrogation "unconstitutional" and "a breach of foundational guarantees" that were originally given to Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Lone, in an independent statement said the NC played a "fixed match" with the BJP, saying the early resolution moved by it was inadequate to condemn the abrogation. Comment

BJP MLA RS Pathania has termed the regional parties' moves as an attempt to "compromise the integrity" of the Assembly even as he said that the abrogation of Article 370 was a closed matter.".