The Jammu and Kashmir assembly descended into chaos for the third consecutive day on Friday, as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and members of the Awami Ittehad Party clashed over the contentious issue of Article 370. The tension reached a boiling point when at least 12 BJP MLAs were marshalled out on Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather’s orders after storming into the well of the House to protest against a special status resolution.
Following the eviction, 11 other BJP MLAs walked out in solidarity with their colleagues, further intensifying the standoff. In a related incident, Awami Ittehad Party’s MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, brother of Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, was also marshalled out after he joined the fray in support of restoring Article 370.
The session’s volatile tone was set early on, as People’s Conference chief and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone, together with People’s Democratic Party’s Pulwama MLA Waheed Para, unfurled a poster demanding the restoration of Article 370. The display sparked a strong reaction from BJP members, who took to standing on tables and raising slogans in protest. Sheikh’s support of Lone and Para landed him in a confrontation with the marshals, ultimately leading to his removal from the chamber.
Inside the House, Sheikh accused the ruling National Conference of playing a “fixed match” with the BJP, alleging selective action against members who speak out for Article 370. “The National Conference resolution is mere eyewash,” he claimed, as quoted in the assembly, suggesting that genuine commitment to Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy was lacking from both parties.
The controversy surrounding Article 370 has increasingly become a flashpoint in the assembly sessions. Just a day earlier, proceedings were disrupted and adjourned following a physical altercation between BJP members and House marshals over the special status resolution.
On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary introduced a resolution reaffirming Jammu and Kashmir’s distinct status within India, citing the need to “safeguard its identity, culture, and rights.” Choudhary emphasized that the Centre should engage in meaningful discussions with the region’s elected representatives to restore its special status, a move that, he argued, would honor both national unity and the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ongoing disruptions signal a turbulent session ahead, as members from various parties remain sharply divided on the issue of Article 370 and the path forward for Jammu and Kashmir’s governance and autonomy.