The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed high drama on February 11 when BJP opposition members disrupted proceedings, accusing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of using derogatory language. Their agitation brought the house to a standstill, with MLAs entering the well and staging a sit-in.
The flashpoint originated the day before during the concluding remarks on the UT budget. BJP legislators objected vehemently to the CM’s comments about their party, branding them ‘non-parliamentary’ and unfit for the august house. Abdullah expressed willingness to withdraw the statements, but chaos ensued, denying him the floor.
Returning after a brief walkout, the BJP group found the CM absent and escalated their protest. Slogans rent the air as they demanded accountability. Speaker Rather intervened firmly, stating walkout-followed issues were closed and protests wouldn’t feature in records. He appealed for the CM’s presence to clarify.
Prominent BJP voice Sham Lal Sharma lamented the ‘historical low,’ questioning if the CM would retract words used against the BJP legislature party. ‘Let his conscience guide him,’ Sharma said, handing responsibility to the chair in Abdullah’s absence.
Countercharges flew from the treasury benches. Health Minister Sakina Itoo hit back, alleging BJP’s own unparliamentary barbs at Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary and deliberate misinformation. Choudhary suggested a mutual cleanup of records to proceed unhindered.
Opposition leader Sunil Sharma dismissed the olive branch, vowing no let-up without a full apology. The repeated walkouts and dharnas underscore the opposition’s strategy to corner the government on perceived slights, potentially derailing key legislative work.
This episode reflects broader tensions in J&K politics post the 2019 status change, where every session tests the limits of decorum and debate. With the budget session critical for development agendas, stakeholders watch anxiously for resolution.