The J&K assembly resembled a fight club as BJP MLAs clashed with marshals after speaker Abdul Rahim Rather ordered the eviction of the opposition members protesting the passage of a resolution on restoring the former state’s special status - revoked in 2019 with the abrogation of Article 370.
The commotion began when independent MLA Sheikh Khursheed of jailed Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party displayed a banner seeking Article 370 and 35A. BJP MLAs stormed the well and tore up the banner. The speaker briefly adjourned the House.
Upon the House resuming, leader of opposition Sunil Sharma opposed the passage of the resolution, calling it “drama”. This fuelled dissent among treasury bench members.
Slogans filled the House. BJP MLAs chanted in support of Kashmir’s integration with India: “Balidaan huway jahan Mukerjee woh Kashmir hamara hai.” National Conference members retorted by emphasising their allegiance to J&K: “Jis Kashmir ko khoon say seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai.” CM Omar Abdullah looked grim and watched the yelling match silently.
While deputy CM Surinder Choudhary accused BJP of “driving a wedge between Kashmir and Jammu”, Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone alleged that NC was playing a “fixed match” with BJP by passing a watered down resolution.
As tempers flared, speaker Rather directed marshals to remove the BJP members, resulting in physical altercations. BJP MLA Shagun Parihar stood atop a table to protest, leading woman marshals to intervene, intensifying the ruckus. Eventually, the speaker adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Later, the Speaker rejected BJP’s demand to either roll back the resolution or step down, and said if the party did not have faith in him it should bring a no-confidence motion.
