SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is witnessing chaos as BJP members moved a motion for the removal of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather. Meanwhile, party MLAs continued their protest over the full statehood resolution introduced in the House by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with reference to the 2000 autonomy resolution and the 2024 special status resolutions passed by the House.
As the House met to take up Question Hour, the BJP members rose from their chairs and protested against moving a statehood resolution with reference to autonomy and special status resolutions.
BJP MLA R S Pathania objected to allowing the statehood resolution, which has reference to the 2000 autonomy resolution. He alleged that Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather was biased and demanded his removal from the chair, stating that the party’s 23 members have moved a motion to remove the Speaker and he should not continue the proceedings of the house.
Amid “Kursi Chodo" slogans by BJP members, Pathania referred to three previous precedents in Parliament and urged the Speaker not to preside over the proceedings until the removal motion was considered.
Responding to Pathania, Speaker Rather informed him that he had given it in writing to the Assembly Secretariat and, as per law, “The motion shall be taken any day 14 days after receiving the notice”, adding that he cannot leave the chair open as proceedings are going on.
The Speaker asked the protesting BJP members to take their seats and continued the Question Hour.
LoP Sunil Sharma said they are public representatives and have the responsibility to raise the concerns of the people.
“J&K is a very sensitive state. We have enemy states surrounding us, and they are always trying to hatch conspiracies,” he said.
Sharma said the House is run on a common census.
“We also want the House to work smoothly.”
He said bringing statehood back is J&K’s agenda. "We too want to bring statehood back, but the language used in the statehood resolution is against the Constitution of India," he remarked.
Sharma objected to references in the resolution to the restoration of autonomy and the pre-1953 position, saying such references were contrary to the Constitution.
"The words used in the resolution are objectionable and against the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. This is a violation of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
The Speaker repeatedly asked the BJP members to take their seats and allow the proceedings to continue. However, the BJP legislators continued their protest, raising slogans including “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”.
The protesting BJP members entered into the Well of the House and staged a sit-in while continuing their sloganeering. Despite the protests and noisy scenes, Speaker Rather continued with Question Hour.