Omar’s statehood resolution rocks J&K Assembly, BJP erupts over 2000 autonomy reference

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory triggered a major confrontation in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, with BJP members strongly objecting to the reference to the National Conference government’s 2000 autonomy resolution.

The resolution, moved by Omar during Zero Hour, called for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and referred to the earlier resolutions passed by the Assembly in 2000 and November 2024. The inclusion of the 2000 resolution, which had sought restoration of the erstwhile State’s pre-1953 constitutional position, immediately became the flashpoint in the House.

BJP legislators protested against the reference and disrupted proceedings, with some members tearing copies of the resolution. The ruling party members raised slogans demanding restoration of statehood, while Congress MLAs displayed banners carrying the message “Protect Democracy”. Amid the escalating scenes, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

While moving the resolution, Omar said the Assembly should remind the Government of India of its assurances regarding restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to the sequence of delimitation, elections and restoration of statehood and said the people had been assured that statehood would follow the electoral process.

The CM said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself in a public meeting said that restoration of J&K’s statehood was “Modi’s promise”. He said that nothing short of full statehood was acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chief Minister also made it clear that the latest resolution was seeking full statehood, and not a diluted arrangement. He said the 2000 and 2024 resolutions had not been discarded and that the latest resolution was being placed in addition to those earlier decisions of the House.

The reference to the 2000 resolution assumes significance as the then Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference government had secured passage of the State Autonomy Resolution on June 26, 2000. The resolution had endorsed the State Autonomy Committee report and sought restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional position as it existed before 1953, when the Centre’s jurisdiction over the State was considerably narrower.

The autonomy resolution had been passed by the Assembly with a two-thirds majority but was rejected by the Union Government headed by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Friday’s move marks a significant political development as the present NC government has now formally placed the demand for restoration of full statehood alongside the party’s earlier autonomy resolution, bringing the two issues together in a fresh Assembly resolution.

The development also led to a sharp political divide inside the House, with the BJP opposing the inclusion of the 2000 resolution and the ruling benches insisting that the earlier resolutions remained part of the Assembly’s record.