Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Passes Resolution Calling for Restoration of Article 370 Amid BJP Opposition

In a significant development in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, a resolution calling for the restoration of special status under Article 370 was passed on Wednesday. The resolution, moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, urges the Centre to engage in dialogue with elected representatives of the region to restore the constitutional guarantees that safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The resolution was passed without any debate, through a voice vote, despite strong opposition from BJP members, including Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma. The BJP vehemently rejected the resolution, with party members raising slogans against it, stating that the discussion should have focused on the Lieutenant Governor's address instead.

Choudhary, while presenting the resolution, expressed strong criticism against the BJP-led Centre, referring to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 as a "unilateral" move that deprived the region of its special status. He went on to claim that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were facing hardships due to outsiders purchasing property in the region, further exacerbating local concerns. Choudhary suggested that a 'narco-test' of BJP leaders would reveal that even they secretly desire the restoration of Article 370.

The resolution was supported by members of the National Conference and the Congress, who joined the call for restoring the region's special status, while BJP members remained firm in their opposition. The move underscores the growing divide between the regional parties and the Centre over the status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was reorganized into two union territories by the Modi government in 2019.

This passing of the resolution is a pivotal moment in the ongoing political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting the ongoing tension over the region's autonomy and the impact of the 2019 constitutional changes.