The Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, moved the resolution, and the NC leader and minister, Sakina Masood, seconded it.
The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly passed a resolution on Wednesday demanding a dialogue between the central government and elected representatives to restore Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state.
Proceedings were adjourned for an hour as the house witnessed the commotion and protests held by the opposition BJP, who tore copies of the document. PTI reported that the BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House and are camping there.
The resolution, which also voiced “concern” at the “unilateral removal” of the special status, was passed without a debate as the Speaker put it to voice vote in the din.
Surinder Choudhary, the deputy chief minister, moved the resolution, and Sakina Masood, the minister and leader of the National Conference, seconded it.
The resolution declared, “This legislative assembly reiterates the importance of special status and constitutional guarantees safeguarding the identity, culture, and rights of the people in Jammu and Kashmir and expresses concern at the unilateral move to delete it.”.
This Assembly calls upon the Government of India to begin a dialogue with elected representatives of the people of J&K to restore the special status and constitutional guarantees and work out the Constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions. This Assembly emphasizes that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of J&K, “it added.
Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma said he was resentful that it was not on the list of businesses. “We reject the resolution. The business given to us was that the discussion is at the lieutenant governor’s address,” he said.
The LoP said there is a rat race among parties here, but they all know nothing will happen. The Act has been passed by the biggest temple of democracy in the country (Parliament), he added.
