SRINAGAR: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday asked the BJP to raise its objections to the Jammu and Kashmir statehood resolution through debate in the Assembly rather than disrupt proceedings.
“The discussion was already listed in the business,” Choudhary said, according to reports, arguing that the issue could have been addressed through debate in the House.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government had brought the resolution to remind the Centre of its stated commitment to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The Assembly passed the resolution on Monday by voice vote after a heated debate, while BJP members were absent from the voting following their walkout.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, calls for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood and refers to resolutions passed by the House on June 26, 2000 and November 6, 2024.
The BJP has said it supports restoration of statehood but objects to the references to the earlier autonomy and special-status resolutions. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma has described the contents as unacceptable to the party.
Choudhary also questioned the circumstances surrounding the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir and asked whether the views of the erstwhile state’s elected representatives had been sought at the time. He said restoration of statehood would give the elected Assembly greater authority to take decisions concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
The Assembly witnessed repeated disruptions over the resolution, with BJP legislators entering the Well and later walking out. The BJP has also moved a motion seeking the removal of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
