Tension erupted during the first session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as a PDP MLA proposed a resolution concerning Article 370. The session was marked by chaotic scenes as lawmakers from different parties clashed over the issue. The resolution aimed to address the abrogation of Article 370, which previously granted special status to the region. This confrontation highlighted the ongoing political divisions surrounding the article’s status and its implications for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Srinagar:The first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was marred by chaos as an impromptu resolution proposed by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Wahid Parra sparked intense debate and conflict among lawmakers.
The resolution, which sought to oppose the abrogation of Article 370, ignited a significant confrontation between the opposition and ruling party members, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding the region’s political landscape.
This article previously granted special status to the former state, which was divided into two union territories following the controversial decision by the BJP-led central government in August 2019. BJP lawmakers in the J&K Assembly voiced their opposition to Mr. Parra’s resolution, while Speaker Rahim Rather, from the ruling National Conference, stated that “he had not yet admitted any resolutions.”
On the assembly’s first day, Wahid Parra introduced the resolution in a bid to reaffirm the opposition’s stance against what they consider an unjust decision made by the central government. The PDP, which has historically championed the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, has been vocal in its criticism of the BJP’s approach, arguing that the abrogation of Article 370 undermined the democratic rights of the region’s residents.
The resolution aimed to draw attention to the adverse effects of this decision and to advocate for the restoration of the special status that many believe is essential for the socio-political stability of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the introduction of the resolution was met with immediate backlash from BJP lawmakers in the assembly. They labeled the PDP’s move as politically motivated and disruptive. The tensions escalated as heated exchanges occurred between members of the PDP and the BJP, reflecting the deep-rooted divisions that continue to plague the political discourse in the region. Amid the uproar, Speaker Rahim Rather, from the ruling National Conference, intervened, stating that he had not yet admitted any resolution for discussion.
This response only fuelled further discord as lawmakers continued to voice their grievances.
The incident highlights the complex and often volatile nature of Jammu and Kashmir’s political environment in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370. The assembly’s first session expected to set the tone for the legislative agenda moving forward; instead, it highlighted the ongoing struggle for power and representation in a region that has witnessed decades of conflict and unrest.