J&K Assembly Erupts in Clashes Over Article 370 Restoration Demand

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly saw intense confrontations for the second consecutive day on Friday as MLAs clashed over a resolution demanding the restoration of Article 370 in the Union Territory. The contentious issue sparked a series of heated exchanges and physical altercations between the opposing members.
BJP MLAs were heard chanting slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" as a scuffle broke out after a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Kupwara displayed a banner advocating for the reinstatement of Article 370, which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Amid the uproar, BJP legislators who stormed into the well of the House were forcibly removed on the orders of Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

The scene mirrored the chaos of the previous day, when Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, brother of Engineer Rashid, the jailed Baramulla MP, had displayed a similar banner supporting Article 370’s restoration. This act had already set a tense tone for the session, which culminated in further disruptions on Friday.
The controversy was sparked by a resolution submitted on the first day of the session by PDP MLA Waheed Para, representing the Pulwama constituency. Para’s resolution, which sought to reverse the abrogation of Article 370 and restore the Union Territory’s special status, was presented to Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, even though it was not included in the session's formal agenda. Despite this, Para urged the Speaker to allow the discussion, arguing that it was in line with the sentiment of the people.
“Although the agenda of the House has been finalized, we believe that your authority as the Speaker allows the inclusion of the resolution, as it reflects the sentiment of the people at large,” the resolution stated.

Following the submission of the resolution, all 28 BJP MLAs in the Assembly stood up in protest, which quickly escalated into loud disruptions and eventually a full-scale brawl. The five-day Assembly session is expected to remain heated, with tensions high over the unresolved debate on the abrogation of Article 370.