Srinagar: During the first session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday, Wahid Parra from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) introduced a resolution opposing the revocation of Article 370. This move quickly drew criticism from lawmakers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The resolution challenges the central government’s 2019 decision to remove the region’s special status. Assembly Speaker Rahim Rather, from the ruling National Conference, confirmed that the resolution was permissible despite BJP objections.
The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019 was a major shift in governance, dividing Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. This assembly session is the first since that change, following elections in September-October 2024 that resulted in a National Conference-Congress coalition.
In these elections, the NC-Congress alliance won 48 seats, while the BJP took 29, mainly in Jammu. The PDP saw a sharp decline, winning only three seats compared to 28 in 2014.
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti expressed support for Parra’s resolution on social media, saying she was proud of his initiative.
In response, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the people of J&K do not support the 2019 decision. He stressed that any resolution on this matter should be handled collectively by the assembly, rather than by individual members.
Abdullah suggested that the PDP’s resolution was more about gaining attention than having real significance.
