Commotion in IIOJK assembly over demand of region's 'special status'

The Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers created a ruckus in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) assembly on Thursday, in protest against a fresh resolution seeking the restoration of the region's special status as originally enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

A pandemonium broke out as soon as the proceedings began, with the BJP MLAs continuing to protest a similar resolution passed by the legislative a day earlier.

The occupied Kashmir’s newly-elected assembly passed the resolution seeking to restore the region's partial autonomy by a majority vote.

“This assembly calls upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status,” the resolution stated.

Sponsored by the National Conference party, which came to power last month in the region’s first vote in a decade and the first since Modi’s Hindu nationalist government scrapped it in August 2019, the resolution was passed by a majority vote on Wednesday.

In a unilateral move by the Indian parliament, the BJP-led government in the Centre had also downgraded and divided the former state into two centrally governed union territories, Ladakh and IIOJK.

Thursday's turbulent proceedings witnessed the introduction of another, strongly worded second resolution by Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP), seeking the restoration of Articles 370 and 35 (A) of the Constitution in their original form and revocation of the Re-org Act 2019, sparked commotion in the house.

The BJP lawmakers scuffled with other MLAs and marshals of the house in a bid to snatch copies of the resolution.

The opposition rejected the resolution, saying it was "illegal" and demanded its withdrawal. In response, the speaker said he does not have such powers as anything passed by the House can only be undone by the House itself, Kashmir Observer reported.

The troublemakers were later thrown out of the assy by Sargent at Arms and the proceedings were adjourned till today (Friday).

As per a report by Daily Sabah, the resolution requires the approval of Lt. Gov. Manoj Sinha, New Delhi’s appointed top administrator in IIOJK.

In response to the resolution, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi boasted "no power" in the world can restore IIOJK's partial autonomy as he had "buried the wall of Article 370 in the graveyard".

Speaking at a public meeting on Thursday, Modi said those dreaming of getting Article 370 status restored should be mindful of the fact that the decision to revoke the region’s special status was not an ordinary decision, and no power in the world can undo it.

The disputed region had since been ruled by a governor appointed by New Delhi untill last month when anti-Modi parties alliance was elected to the local legislative assembly.