Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Nov 7: Pandemonium broke out in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued their protests demanding withdrawal of the resolution passed on the restoration of special status in Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday.
As soon as the session began on the fourth day, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJP MLA, Sunil Sharma demanded the rollback of the resolution urging New Delhi to initiate dialogue with elected lawmakers over restoration of Article 370.
In the meantime, the MLA Langate Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh entered into the Well carrying a banner demanding the restoration of Article 370, Article 35A and release of all political prisoners.
The BJP legislators also stormed the Well and snatched the banner from him after surrounding him.
At this point, Sajad Lone intervened and tried to snatch back the banner from BJP lawmakers, which led to a scuffle between them.
As things turned chaotic, the Marshals intervened and separated them. PDP’s Waheed-Ur-Rehman Parra also intervened and tried to stop BJP lawmakers from tearing the banner.
Amid commotion in the House, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
However, as soon as the session began again, the BJP legislators refused to take their seats and stormed into the Well forcing the Speaker to issue directions to Marshalls to evict those who would enter in the Well.
“Take those out of the House who try to come into the Well of the House,” the Speaker said amid total commotion.
Many BJP MLAs including R S Pathania were evicted by Marshals on the orders of the Speaker.
The remaining BJP MLAs continued to shout “take back the special status resolution.”
“This is House, not a fish market. This is the Legislative Assembly,” the speaker said.
Intervening, Food Minister Satish Sharma in a scathing attack on the BJP said: “The fact is that we speak “Man Ki Baat” of BJP. Jammu youth are unemployed, the region’s economy is shattered and BJP is not bothered.”
NC MLA from Gurez Nazir Gurezi also cornered the BJP stating that “They are not bothered about Jammu and don’t want progress of Jammu region.”
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused BJP of “double standards” and ruining J&K over the past ten years. “You sold Jammu land, you sold everything in Jammu, you are responsible for the mess in Jammu,” Choudhary shouted.
Food Minister Satish Sharma also countered the BJP stating that let the House do its job. “You will be made accountable by the people of Samba, Kathua and Jammu. Don’t divide Kashmir and Jammu. You are the reason behind the wedge between Kashmir and Jammu. Do you want further division? By climbing the table where the Indian constitution was placed, you claim to be champions of Indian democracy. You should be punished for desecrating the copies of the Indian constitution. Jammu can’t be separated from Kashmir. We have to take together Kashmir, Jammu and even Ladakh.”
MLA Pyare Lal also launched a scathing attack on the opposition saying, “By raising religious slogans, you can’t win loyalty here. Come and let’s tour Jammu together, I will tell you how happy people of Jammu are over passing of the resolution on special status. Your dream of having separate Jammu will never realise.”
Amid ruckus, BJP’s lone female MLA Shagun Parihar climbed on the table in the Well to register their protest against the resolution.
As the BJP members shouted slogans against the resolution, MLAs from the treasury benches responded with counter slogans, creating a chaotic atmosphere in the House.
“Jammu Kashmir Ki Awaz Kya, 370 Aur Kya,” the MLAs from Treasury Benches shouted.
The Speaker made repeated requests to the BJP MLAs to take their seats, but they refused and instead demanded the resolution passed yesterday in the House be withdrawn. Later, the Speaker announced adjournment of the House till tomorrow.
