J&K CM Omar Says People Found Their Voice Through Special Status Resolution; BJP Threatens To Run ‘Parallel Govt’

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir "found their voice" after the resolution on the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state was passed and that the "burden is off their shoulders" now. Meanwhile, after the high voltage drama in the Assembly on Thursday over the resolution, the BJP warned of running a parallel government in J-K if the "Speaker continued to challenge the country's integrity and sovereignty".

Speaking on the vote of thanks for the Lt Governor's address in the House, Abdullah said: "The first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is short in duration but historic in terms of agenda." The first session of the new J&K assembly began on Monday and ended on Friday.

This comes after a ruckus broke out in the Assembly on Thursday over the restoration of Article 370. The MLAs entered into a brawl in the House and were seen throwing punches at each other.

The chaos had started after started after LoP Sunil Sharma objected to Awami Ittehad Party MLA and Engineer Rashid's brother Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh displaying a banner on Article 370 while he was speaking in protest against the resolution for Article 370 restoration. The resolution was passed asking the Centre to work out a constitutional mechanism for restoring the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K. 

Abdullah recalled that when he last spoke in the House, Jammu and Kashmir was a state with a special place and status in the country.

"It has all been snatched," he said, referring to the 2019 development when the Article 370 was abrogated and the state was bifurcated into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

"I have got an opportunity to talk like this in the House after a long time. In March 2014, I spoke on the governor's address as chief minister and in 2018 as the opposition. So much has changed since then and we have lost a lot." "When I think about it, I cannot believe it," Abdullah added.

Referring to the passage of the resolution, the Chief Minister said: "After its passage, I am happy that people have found their voice and they are able to talk. We felt suffocated and thought we wouldn't be able to talk. It seems that the burden is off the shoulders of the people. I have seen people who had forgotten their pens and keyboards find their footing again."

"They are feeling free enough to express themselves," he added.

Abdullah said, "While I will regret what we lost, I am happy that I have the enthusiasm that whatever time is fixed for me by Allah, I will not waste a day. I will serve the people." 

Meanwhile, on the proceedings of the J&K Assembly, JKNC President Farooq Abdullah, said that it has been proved the people of J&K do not stand with Centre's decision taken on Article 370.

"It has been proved today that the decision they (Centre) took on 5th August 2019 is not acceptable by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They are not standing with the decision. There will be a day when people (of J&K) will get their respect back. Maybe Omar and I will not be there on that day, but the people of J&K will see," he said.

BJP Warns Of Running Parallel Govt If J&K Speaker Challenges Country's Integrity

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday stated that it will run a parallel government in Jammu and Kashmir if Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather continues to "challenge sovereignty and integrity" of the country through his behaviour.

"We had a parallel assembly outside when the Speaker had our MLAs marshalled out. We raised the issues of our areas and the media covered it. The Speaker should not take this parallel assembly lightly. If your behaviour challenges Indian integrity and sovereignty, we will run a parallel government and this is my warning to them," Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma told news agency PTI.

Condemning the Speaker's way of conducting the Assembly, Sharma said: "We condemn it. This will be the darkest day in the history of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. The Assembly was constituted by the people with the hope that their problems regarding water, electricity, hospital and education will be solved. However, the Speaker has functioned as an agent of a particular party and performed an unconstitutional and illegal act in an undemocratic way," Sharma said.

He further said that the MLAs had come to the House to put forward the problems of their areas but "the separatist mindset of the ruling NC (National Conference) has lowered the dignity of the House by bringing the resolution".

"The unfortunate part is that the Speaker is saying the demand for special status is demand for restoration of Article 370. He is acting like a spokesman of the National Conference," Sharma added.

The BJP leader added that Article 370 was abrogated by the country's highest temple of democracy and that the matter was settled by the Supreme Court. He also challenged Omar Abdullah, saying that if the latter found the word 'special status' in the Constitution for J&K then he would retire from politics. 

"Article 370 is now history. They are comparing the Article 370 with a word like special status which does not even exist in the Constitution. I challenge (chief minister) Omar Abdullah that if the word special status with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is found anywhere in the Constitution, I will retire from politics," Sharma said.

The BJP leader also claimed that the NC wanted to start street violence in the UT under the name of special status. "Under the special status, Kashmiri Pandits were forced to migrate, Asiya Neelofar was murdered, Tufail Mattoo was murdered and Haji Yousuf was killed in the house of the chief minister. They want this (kind of) special status back," he said.