A violent altercation broke out on Thursday, November 7, between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and marshals in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after the Speaker directed the eviction of opposition members protesting the controversial resolution seeking the restoration of the region’s special status.
The chaos unfolded following repeated disruptions in the session, as BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House during a heated debate. The protests were sparked by a resolution passed by the ruling National Conference (NC) on November 6, urging the Centre to work out a constitutional mechanism to restore Article 370, the provision that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir before its abrogation in 2019. The resolution also called for dialogue with elected representatives on the matter.
Key Moments of the J&K Assembly Scuffle:
- Initial Tensions: The assembly session began with growing tensions between BJP members and the opposition. The NC resolution, calling for the restoration of Article 370, was met with strong opposition from BJP legislators who expressed their dissatisfaction over the issue.
- Protests Escalate: As BJP MLAs voiced their opposition to the resolution, some members of the opposition, led by Sheikh Khursheed of the Awami Ittehad Party, jumped into the well of the House with a banner demanding the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, further escalating the situation.
- Physical Altercation: The BJP members quickly tore the banner, leading to a brief but intense physical confrontation. The situation became even more chaotic when BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, was interrupted during his speech by the rising uproar.
- Speaker’s Intervention: Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather attempted to regain control of the House by adjourning the proceedings for 15 minutes. Despite this, BJP MLAs continued their protest, voicing strong opposition to the resolution.
- Continued Slogans and Disruption: As the session resumed, slogans were raised on both sides. BJP members shouted “Balidaan huway jahan Mukherjee woh Kashmir hamara hai,” while NC MLAs responded with “Jis Kashmir ko khoon say seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai.”
- Marshalling Out: In an attempt to quell the disturbance, the Speaker ordered the eviction of the protesting BJP members. “Throw them out,” the Speaker said, as marshals were called in to remove the opposition MLAs.
- Scuffle Breaks Out: The eviction led to a violent scuffle between BJP MLAs and the marshals, with three BJP members being forcibly removed from the assembly. Amidst the turmoil, female marshals were also deployed to handle the lone BJP woman MLA, Shagun Parihar, who attempted to resist eviction by standing on a table.
- Physical Confrontation: The situation became further heated as BJP MLAs clashed with the marshals while being escorted out of the chamber. The proceedings were marked by uproarious shouting and banging of tables from both BJP and NC benches.
- Slogans Intensify: As BJP MLAs were removed, the NC members raised slogans of “Jammu Kashmir ki awaaz kya, 370 aur kya,” while the BJP MLAs countered with “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
- Investigation Underway: The incident has sparked further political tensions in the region. No arrests have been made so far, and investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the physical altercations and ensure accountability.
The confrontation highlights the deep political divide over the issue of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, with tensions running high between the ruling and opposition parties. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed several such disruptions in the past, but Thursday’s scuffle marks one of the most intense in recent months.