Amid ruckus, BJP MLAs ‘thrown out’ of J&K Assembly

Opposition members creating a ruckus in the J&K assembly on Thursday. Pic/PTI

A brawl broke out between the BJP MLAs and marshals of the J&K Assembly on Thursday after the Speaker directed eviction of opposition members who had stormed the well during their protest over the special status resolution.

At least three MLAs were marshalled out on the directions of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

Soon after the Assembly met this morning, uproar prevailed as BJP members protested against the resolution that was passed on Wednesday.

While BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma was speaking over the resolution, AIP leader and MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed jumped into the well displaying a banner that read Articles 370 and 35A be restored.

This infuriated the BJP members, who also jumped into the well and snatched the banner, and tore into pieces.

As the uproar continued, the Speaker issued directions that nothing should be recorded or reported and directed marshalling out of BJP members who stormed the well, leading to a scuffle between Assembly marshals and the BJP MLAs.

‘Can't annul'

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected the BJP's demand for either rolling back the special status resolution passed by the House on Wednesday or stepping down, and said if the party does not have faith in him it should bring a no-confidence motion.

He also rebuked the party for its "cheap sloganeering" and said he cannot tolerate members entering into the Well of the House and stomping over the national emblem placed on the Assembly Secretary's chair. "They (BJP) are asking the Speaker to take back the resolution. The Speaker does not have the powers. Anything passed by the House can only be undone by the House itself. Speakers cannot do it. The Speaker has limited powers in these issues... he has to preside, count and give decisions based on the facts before him," Rather said.

Fresh resolution submitted

A group of MLAs from the PDP and the Peoples' Conference submitted a fresh resolution in the Assembly demanding immediate restoration of Articles 370 and 35A in their original form. They also called for the reversal of all changes introduced in the UT after the erstwhile state was stripped of its special status in 2019.

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