Srinagar: Ruckus erupted in the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday as it convened for the first time in six years. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Wahid Parra tabled a resolution calling for the restoration of Article 370, which was abrogated in August 2019.
The Pulwama MLA introduced the resolution right after veteran National Conference leader and seven-time MLA Abdul Rahim Rather was elected as the inaugural Speaker of the legislative assembly in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Sir, I congratulate you for being elected as the Speaker of the House. We will learn a lot from your experience. Today, I have a resolution on behalf of my party that I want to submit before you. The resolution calls for the restoration of Article 370,” Parra said, welcoming the Speaker’s appointment.
The proposal sparked an uproar among BJP legislators, who stood up, demanding the resolution’s dismissal. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, urging calm. “This is my domain, let me examine this and accordingly I will decide on the resolution,” Rather said. However, BJP lawmakers continued their protest.
Leader of the House and Chief Minister asked for calm, noting, “We anticipated such a resolution might come, but today’s agenda is different. We have many days for that.”
The Speaker reiterated, “I have not seen this copy yet. Let me go through it and examine it. If you (BJP) have decided not to allow this house to run, then I can’t say anything.”
Meanwhile, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti expressed support for Parra on X, stating, “Proud of Wahid Parra for introducing resolution in JK Assembly opposing the revocation of Article 370 and resolve to restore the special status. God bless you.”
Earlier, Abdul Rahim Rather, a veteran National Conference leader and seven-time MLA, was elected Speaker. At 78, Rather, who has served in the cabinets of Sheikh Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, and Omar Abdullah, was escorted to the Speaker’s chair by Leader of the House Omar Abdullah and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, who congratulated him on his appointment.