Srinagar, Sep 25: 

Talking to reporters inside the assembly premises after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the house for 30 minutes, Abdullah said the resolution he tabled in the house was not for greater autonomy or special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the unruly scenes and sloganeering by the BJP MLAs, the chief minister said, “You saw how the BJP reacted to this. Because they simply do not want to vote on statehood. They want to back out of this vote under one pretext or another.”

The tabling of the resolution in the assembly led to ugly scenes in the house and even fistfights among the MLAs.

Abdullah said he did not seek a vote on the resolutions passed by legislative assembly on June 26, 2000 on — restoration of greater autonomy under the Indian Constitution — or on November 6, 2024 — for the restoration of special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Today, no one is asking them to vote on Article 370. Today, no one is asking them to vote on Jammu and Kashmir’s special position or special status or autonomy. Those resolutions have already been passed; they are the property of the house,” he said.

The chief minister said the fresh resolution he tabled in the house on Friday does not subsume the previous resolutions.

“We are not bringing those resolutions back for a vote; the house has already passed them. Today, we are asking for a vote from the BJP solely and exclusively on statehood, and they are not ready to vote on statehood,” he added.

Abdullah said he brought the resolution as the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly represents the voice of the people.

“We wanted a resolution to be passed here and sent to the Government of India, stating that Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood should be restored immediately,” he added.

Abdullah also referred to BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma’s remarks about the government having to be accountable for governance over past two years.

“I am ready. Bring the discussion on Monday; whatever our performance has been over the past two years, we will place everything before the house. And the difficulties we faced over these two years, the problems we ran into, the hardships we had to confront — ”we will bring all of that forward as well. And after that, we hope the house votes on this resolution, and we will send this resolution to the central government,” he said.

On the BJP’s charge that the resolution was “anti-national”, the chief minister said that asking for statehood does not make one anti-national.

“Show me one anti-national word used in this resolution. Show me one unconstitutional word we have used. We are simply saying that the Centre must immediately restore full and complete statehood to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The chief minister said he had to mention those earlier resolutions as he did not want anyone to fall prey to any misunderstanding.

“Tomorrow, you might say, ‘Look, they abandoned those resolutions and brought this one instead.’ That is why we said ‘in addition’ — ”meaning those resolutions remain property of the house. We are not touching those resolutions; they stand in their place. But today, we are bringing a separate resolution on statehood, one that does not dilute earlier resolutions,” he added.

Abdullah said if the BJP wants the previous resolutions replaced, they should bring a resolution in the house to this effect.

“Let them bring a resolution during this debate to reject them, to wipe them out. If they get the votes for it, who am I to object? That is what democracy demands,” he said.

Abdullah said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have seen that if anyone is an obstacle to restoring statehood, it is the 29 BJP MLAs.

“They contested elections in the name of statehood. Restoring statehood was a major promise in their manifesto. They constantly remind us of our manifesto, yet they don’t remember their own! So today, I tell them again: whatever you want to say, say it inside the house.

“Let the house run in order, hold a debate, and say what you wish; we will answer. After that, vote on statehood. Don’t abstain, don’t walk out, don’t create a ruckus, cast your vote! If you support statehood, vote ‘yes’; if you oppose statehood, vote ‘no’. Let the people know,” he said.

Asked about the need to bring the resolution when his Cabinet has passed a similar resolution two years ago, Abdullah said two years is a very long time to make people of Jammu and Kashmir wait for statehood.

“Clearly, the voice of the Cabinet was not considered to be the voice of the people. Therefore, since the legislature represents the entire spectrum of political opinion in Jammu and Kashmir… The Cabinet only represents the ruling party, but the legislature represents parties that are not part of the government,” he said.

The chief minister said the demand for statehood was not for the government, his party or his family, but for entire Jammu and Kashmir.

“That is why we brought this resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, so that in one single voice, we tell the central government to restore the status of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir immediately,” he said.

Asked about Congress MLAs being comfortable with the resolution, Abdullah said he is glad about it.

“They (Congress) know there is nothing unconstitutional about this resolution. All this resolution seeks to do is to take the voice of the assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and send it to New Delhi. We want that full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir be restored immediately. We want that this voice go from the assembly,” he said.

Srinagar, Sep 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the legislative assembly to seek the urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, following which a pandemonium broke out, prompting the speaker to adjourn the house.

BJP MLAs protested against the resolution, which has a reference to the autonomy resolution moved by National Conference (NC) government in June 2000 when Jammu and Kashmir was a state.

It read: “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024, the House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this resolution be forwarded to the Government of India.”

The NC-led government headed by Farooq Abdullah had passed a resolution on June 26, 2000 for restoration of greater autonomy as existed before August 9, 1953.

On November 6, 2024, the house passed a resolution seeking the restoration of special status.

As soon as the chief minister tabled the resolution in the house, the treasury benches welcomed it with thumping of desks.

However, the reference to the 2000 resolution triggered protests from BJP members, who stated that they would not allow any discussion on the issue of autonomy in the house.

They alleged that rules were flouted as the chief minister read the resolution even before tabling it in the house.

The BJP members stormed the well of the house and tore the copies of the resolution.

“We will not allow discussion on the issue of autonomy in the house,” BJP MLA R S Pathania said.

Several MLAs got into heated arguments with each other as the pandemonium continued in the house.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather urged the members to take their seats, but the din persisted.

The members traded barbs with each other, with some of them starting fist fights.

Subsequently, the speaker adjourned the house, frstly for half and hour, and then till Monday.

Srinagar, Sep 25: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Friday said the BJP is ready to debate the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, but would not allow a debate on Article 370 or the 2000 autonomy resolution.

Addressing reporters, Sharma said the resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is “controversial” and questioned the inclusion of the 2000 autonomy resolution in the fresh resolution seeking restoration of statehood.

“Today’s resolution moved by the Chief Minister is controversial and disputed. The BJP had rejected the autonomy resolution and even tore it up. Why is that resolution being discussed again in today’s resolution?” Sharma said.

He also questioned the Congress party’s position on the autonomy resolution and Article 370, asking it to clarify whether it stood with the resolutions or the government. 

“Congress should clear its position, from Rahul Gandhi to the State Chief of Congress. Is it with this resolution? Is it with the pre-1953 resolution? Is it with the resolution of 370, or is it with the government?” he said.

Sharma also questioned Omar Abdullah’s position, pointing out that he was a minister in the NDA government led by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when the autonomy resolution was rejected. “When the BJP rejected and tore up this resolution, wasn’t Omar Abdullah a minister in the NDA at that time? Didn’t he continue as a partner of the NDA?” he asked.

The LoP said the government is using the statehood issue to divert attention from governance-related issues, while asserting that the BJP was ready for a debate on statehood. “If you want to debate statehood, we challenge you. We are ready to debate on statehood. But you want to make Kashmir a fool in the name of statehood,” Sharma said.

He further alleged that the government is using the statehood issue to “hide its failures” and prolong its restoration. “The BJP rejects this resolution. The so-called autonomy and the resolution of 370 and we will not allow debate on this issue,” he said.

LoP Sharma said the BJP would continue its protest until the Congress clarified its position on Article 370 and the autonomy resolution and the government answered its questions.—(KNO)

Srinagar, Sep 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the Legislative Assembly seeking the complete restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying a commitment described as “Modi Ka Wada” should have been implemented.

“PM Modi earlier said that it was Modi Ka Wada, which means it was extraordinary from a normal promise. If it was Modi Ka Wada, then it should have got implemented as well,” Omar said while speaking in the House.

He also highlighted what he described as the administrative implications of Jammu and Kashmir continuing as a Union Territory, citing the functioning of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).

“The implications of not having statehood is that files of SKIMS, one of our premium healthcare institutes, do not come to us,” he said.

Omar said Health Minister Sakina Itoo was unable to take decisions on matters concerning SKIMS, while the Finance Department allocated funds to the institute without having control over how the money was subsequently spent.

“I, as Finance Minister, give them the budget, but how that money is spent, we don’t know,” he said.

The Chief Minister sought a detailed discussion on the resolution, saying restoration of statehood was a common concern cutting across party lines.

The resolution triggered an uproar in the House, with members of both the ruling benches and the opposition raising slogans.

BJP members accused the government of “befooling” the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while National Conference and Congress members responded with slogans including “Sada Haq Ithey Rakh”.

NC members also raised slogans demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

The protests escalated as a majority of BJP legislators entered the Well of the House, leading to a noisy confrontation.

Amid the continued ruckus, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House for half an hour.

Srinagar, Sep 25: The government on Friday informed the Legislative Assembly that it plans to undertake a field research-cum-feasibility study to assess the potential of Uri in Baramulla district for large-scale commercial plantations, particularly olive and other suitable non-fruit species.

The information was provided by the Agriculture Production Department in response to a question raised by Uri MLA Sajjad Shafi.

The government said the study will be conducted through Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Kashmir. “The exercise aims to evaluate the viability of large-scale commercial plantations in Uri, keeping in view the area’s limited traditional agriculture and horticulture opportunities.”

The government said the study will also examine the scope for demonstration plantations, nursery development and value-chain opportunities, wherever found suitable.

The Minister in-charge said the findings would help identify commercially viable plantation models and guide future interventions in the sector.

The government further said that, based on the outcome of the study, an action plan for pilot plantations and subsequent scaling-up of viable models would be considered in consultation with the concerned departments and stakeholders.—(KNO)