"What other option did we have?" AIP's Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh on displaying banner in assembly

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], November 7 (ANI): Following chaos in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh said that he had exhausted all other options on voicing his concerns on restoration of Article 370 and thus raised the banner.

“This is completely legal, yesterday when BJP people wanted to hijack the chair of the speaker too. What we did is followed the schedule, when it was announced we approached the assembly secretariat and said we wanted to bring in a resolution regarding Article 370 and 35A but we were told then that there is no provision on that, that this is just a small session,” he told ANI. 

Saying that he exhausted all the options before and after being given a chance, he raised the banner in the assembly. 

“So, what other option did we have? The banner talked about (abrogation of) Article 370 and Article 35A, which we condemn. But this did not go down well with the BJP. Even if they continue to attack us we will continue to raise our voices,” he added. 

Notably, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Sunil Sharma along with other BJP MLAs objected to the banner display of Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh as the opposition MLAs stormed into the well of the house and were seen involved in a scuffle with Seikh Khurshid and other MLAs of the treasury bench. 

The speaker ordered the marshals to remove those members who were seen crossing their limits and asked the opposition leaders to behave properly.

Meanwhile a new resolution on the restoration of Article 370 and 35 A was proposed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) earlier during the Assembly. 

 “This house unequivocally demands the immediate restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A in their original, unaltered form, and calls for the reversal of all changes introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. We further urge the Government of India to respect the constitutional and democratic sanctity of Jammu and Kashmir by reinstating all special probisions and guarantees intended to preserve its distinct identity, culture, and political autonomy,” read the resolution. 

“This house strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, by the Government of India. These actions stripped J-K of its special status and statehood, underminding the foundational guarantees and protections originally according to the region and its people by the Constitution of India. House strongly condemns the unconstitutional unilateral abrogation of Article 370,” the proposed resolution added. 

J-K People’s Conference President and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone condemned the National Conference (NC), saying that it looks like a “fixed match” is happening in the Assembly. 

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“If they don't bring a resolution, then it is a fixed match. They (National Conference) brought a weak resolution. We did not come to the Assembly for this. Khurshid sahab and I fought against each other, but when I saw he was being attacked, as a Kashmiri I could not stop myself from stepping in. At the time, did any National Conference member come to save him?” he asked reporters after the assembly.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA M Y Tarigami called the ruckus in the Assembly today as “unfortunate”. 

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“It is very unfortunate. Whatever happened today was not good. BJP didn't play a responsible role. A resolution was adopted now it is their wish whether to agree to it or not. The Speaker has said that they can raise their concerns. Assembly House is for debate, not ruckus,” he told ANI.

The first session of the newly elected assembly kick started on November 4, Monday.

On the first day too, uproar erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly when PDP (People's Democratic Party) leader Waheed Para, representing the Pulwama constituency introduced a resolution against the revocation of Article 370 and to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The first session of the new assembly will conclude on November 8. Besides the L-G's address, there will be obituary references for former legislators who passed away since the last session of the erstwhile J-K Assembly on November 5. (ANI)