Amidst the uproar, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution for the restoration of Article 370, asking the Centre to hold talks with elected representatives for the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state. Soon after the assembly proceedings began, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution for restoring the special status of J-K, which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019. NC leader and minister Sakina Masood seconded the move.
"That this legislative assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal,” the resolution moved by Choudhary said.
“This Assembly emphasises that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the resolution added.
The passage of the resolution was strongly opposed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, who said it was not part of the listed business. BJP members also tore the copies of the resolution and threw the pieces into the well of the House.
"We reject the resolution. The Business given to us was that the discussion is on the Lieutenant governor’s address,” he said.
Sharma claimed there is a “rat race” among parties in Jammu and Kashmir “but they all know nothing is going to happen”.
“The Act has been passed by the biggest temple of democracy in the country (Parliament),” he added.
Sharma’s comments did not sit well with treasury benches and noisy scenes were witnessed in the House with most of the NC and BJP members on their feet.
NC members raised slogans that the resolution be passed. Amid the din, speaker Abdul Rahim Rather put the motion to vote and it was passed by the majority of the house.
Independent MLAs Sheikh Khurshid Ahmed, Shabir Ahmad, Sajad Lone of the People's Conference (PC) and three MLAs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supported the resolution.
The passing of the resolution seeking restoration of statehood to J&K by the ruling NC would constitutionally have little impact, but at the political level, the passage has brought the J&K government into direct confrontation with the Centre. Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated by the country’s Parliament on August 5, 2019, and the power of the Parliament to do so was upheld by a Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.