Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 25
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said on Friday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was prepared to debate restoration of full statehood but opposed discussion of Article 370 and the Assembly’s 2000 Autonomy Resolution.
Sharma criticised a resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying its reference to the June 2000 autonomy measure went beyond the stated issue of statehood.
“The BJP had rejected the autonomy resolution,” Sharma said, questioning why it had been included in the latest resolution.
The measure calls on the Government of India to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and refers to Assembly resolutions passed in 2000 and 2024.
BJP legislators protested the reference to the 2000 resolution during Friday’s proceedings, entering the Well of the House and tearing copies of the measure. Ruling National Conference and Congress members responded with counter-slogans.
The June 2000 resolution, passed by the National Conference government headed by Farooq Abdullah, sought restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. The central government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee rejected it.
The Assembly passed another resolution in November 2024 seeking restoration of J&K’s special status and constitutional guarantees revoked in August 2019.
Sharma said the BJP’s position had not changed and that it was ready for a debate focused on statehood.
He also accused the government of using the statehood issue to divert attention from governance, a claim rejected by the chief minister.
CM Omar said the current resolution was specifically about statehood and did not replace earlier Assembly resolutions.
He said the BJP had not introduced a measure to nullify the 2000 resolution when it shared power in Jammu and Kashmir from 2016 to 2018.
The Centre has said the commitment to restore statehood remains in place, while the timing would depend on the security situation, according to the material supplied for this report.
The statehood resolution is expected to be taken up for discussion and voting later in the Assembly session.
