Uproar in J&K Assembly as BJP raises public issues, ruling benches demand statehood

The much-awaited Autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly opened on a stormy note on Monday, with BJP MLAs entering the Well of the House and treasury benches countering with slogans demanding immediate restoration of J&K’s statehood.

Clash between the ruling alliance and BJP members was averted by the marshals who stood between as the rivals advanced towards each other.

Nothing was audible in the din and Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House till Tuesday after a couple of questions were taken up.

The autumn session of the J-K assembly began in Srinagar on Monday with tributes to three former ministers. As soon as the obituary references concluded, the opposition BJP raised several public issues, including the recent protests by National Health Mission (NHM) employees, regularisation of daily wagers, and water and electricity supply.

members of the ruling alliance comprising the National Conference (NC), Congress and CPI(M) stood up and demanded the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.

Chaos broke out as the opposition BJP members tried to corner the government over various public issues. The session began in Srinagar with obituary references to three former ministers. As soon as the obituary references concluded, the opposition BJP raised several public issues, including the recent protests by National Health Mission (NHM) employees, regularisation of daily wagers, and water and electricity supply.

Members of the ruling alliance comprising the National Conference (NC), Congress and CPI(M) stood up and demanded the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.

CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami urged BJP members to also raise slogans in support of restoring statehood. “Two years have passed, but the promise of statehood has not been fulfilled,” he said.

Senior NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar led the treasury benches in raising slogans demanding the restoration of statehood, while also raising slogans against the BJP.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked the BJP MLAs to return to their seats and warned that action would be taken against them.

Congress MLAs also joined the protest, raising slogans against the Centre, including “Vote chor sarkaar ko ek dhakka aur do” (Give the vote-stealing government another push).

As the disruption continued, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary hit out at the BJP and said the government was ready to respond to all questions raised by the Opposition. “But they should ask one by one. We are prepared to respond to all issues. However, it’s clear they are not interested in public welfare; this is their true face, exposed before the people,” the deputy chief minister asserted.

Following the protest by the Opposition, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned till Tuesday morning.