SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday passed a resolution calling upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, amid protests and a walk-out by opposition BJP members.
Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather put the resolution to vote after members spoke on it and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded to the debate. The resolution was passed by voice vote, with none voting against it, as BJP members, who had been protesting since the start of the proceedings, walked out when it was put to vote.
“In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on June 26, 2000 and 6th November 2024, this House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to J&K and resolves that this resolution be forwarded to Government of India,” reads the resolution.
The resolution was moved by Omar on Friday. At least 10 members had earlier moved amendments seeking to include Article 370 and 35A in it. However, they withdrew the amendments after the discussion and the Speaker’s appeal.
Addressing the House, Omar said, “I knew our friends (BJP members) will not be happy with this resolution and they would make complete efforts to disrupt the house and they won’t need to vote on it.
“Since Friday, they have been saying that we are demanding autonomy and Article 370. Everybody has read the resolution, please tell me where we are seeking votes from them on autonomy, Articles 370, 35A and special status. We are seeking votes on statehood,” he said.
On the amendments, Omar said, “Some of my friends fell into their trap and brought amendments. If we include these amendments in this resolution, it will give a pretext to BJP to oppose it.”
“This house has twice passed resolutions on special status --- autonomy resolution (in 2000) and special status resolution (in November 2024).
Explaining the need for the resolution on statehood, Omar said, “Since two years, we have been waiting for the central government to fulfil its promise. In the judgement, SC had given clear instructions to the central government to restore statehood to J&K as soon as possible after holding of Assembly elections.”
“In which English language, he said, as soon as possible takes two years and even after two years there is no clarity on restoration of statehood.
“I have been repeatedly telling the central government to please tell us when this appropriate time will come for restoration of statehood. Are you connecting it with militancy… Are you saying that till guns fall silent and militancy ends statehood will not be restored. It will mean that the statehood decision will not be taken in New Delhi but in Islamabad because the central government has blamed Pakistan for militancy and Uri, Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks,” he said.
“This is our decision and should be taken by our government. Should this decision not be taken by our PM or has this decision to be taken in any other country. If this is the case, then it is very unfortunate,” he said.
Claiming that J&K is suffering because of being a Union Territory, Omar said, “Even today, the Law department gave the Speaker opinion that you should not hold discussion on the resolution in the Assembly. The Chief Secretary has also written a letter to u (speaker)”.
“I am a Law Minister and I don’t know that my law secretary is giving you opinion. As a CM I don’t know the Chief Secretary is writing to the Speaker against my resolution. I don’t know on whose behalf it is being done.
This is because of J&K being a UT,” he said. “Would you think such a thing would happen in any State? This happens only in UT where a CM moves a resolution and the law secretary gives an opinion against it.”
He also said J&K has been without an Advocate General for the last two years.
“We don’t have an Advocate General. Show me a State or UT, where there is no AG from the last two years. We proposed in writing the name of AG. But it has not been approved,” he added.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Omar said, “We had thought the whole house would support this resolution. But they had got dictation from there”.