Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 29 (ANI): PDP MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi on Tuesday said the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was the “sole forum” to raise and advocate for issues facing the region, asserting that Articles 370 and 35A were deeply tied to the sentiments and emotions of its people.
Speaking on the autumn session of the J&K Legislative Assembly, Mehdi said the legislators had sought to raise people’s concerns in the House and work towards finding solutions to them.
“As far as the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is concerned, it is the sole forum where we can present and advocate for the issues facing the region. During this session, we have sought to raise the people’s concerns in the House and work towards solutions to these issues. Articles 370 and 35A were not merely constitutional provisions; they were deeply tied to the sentiments and emotions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he told ANI.
“We continue to advocate for their restoration. The BJP is the party that removed these provisions, so expecting it to restore them is unrealistic,” he added.
National Conference MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi said the Question Hour went well but alleged that BJP members created an uproar in the House.
“The Question Hour went well. The uproar was created by BJP members; whether in Jammu or in Srinagar, that is simply their modus operandi. They will continue to do this, as they still have three years remaining in their term,” Larmi said.
Congress MLA Nizam Uddin Bhat said the session was aimed at ensuring that proceedings moved calmly and smoothly while allowing legislators to highlight issues and hold the government accountable.
“This session aimed to ensure that proceedings moved calmly and smoothly, allowing us to highlight issues and hold the government accountable. Raising these issues fosters public awareness and reassures people that their representatives are advocating for them effectively,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there was significant uproar over certain matters, resulting in a great deal of lost time. Despite this, the Speaker tried to keep the House functioning… It has now become a trend where jingoism and shouting prevail, and aggressive posturing seems to be seen as the only way to get things done,” Bhat added.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA R S Pathania said his party wanted issues to be resolved through discussion and deliberation, while alleging that the ruling National Conference was responsible for disruptions.
“The BJP seeks a resolution to every issue through discussion, deliberation, and debate. They repeatedly claim that their powers have been curtailed… The solution is for us to sit together more often and engage in greater discussion and deliberation so that the true purpose of this House can be upheld,” Pathania said.
“It was we who raised questions regarding the allocation of vehicles, and ultimately the issue was resolved; we brought up many such matters. The problem, however, lies with the National Conference; the ruling party itself is causing disruptions,” he added.
The remarks came amid discussions in the Assembly over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking the “immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood” to Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution referred to earlier resolutions passed by the House in 2000 and 2024.
Several legislators had also sought amendments to the resolution to include references to Articles 370 and 35A.
Mehdi had moved an amendment seeking an expression of “deep anguish and disapproval” over measures initiated after August 5, 2019, including the cessation of Articles 370 and 35A and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s autumn session, which began on September 21, is set to conclude on September 30 after seven sittings. During the session, legislators raised issues including employment, reservation, regularisation of workers, power tariffs and other public concerns. (ANI)
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