A heated altercation erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday when Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, MLA from Langate and brother of jailed MP Engineer Rashid, brandished a banner demanding the reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A. The banner, which also called for the release of political prisoners, ignited tensions among lawmakers.
Sheikh stormed into the well of the House, despite attempts by marshals and Speaker’s instructions to sit down. BJP leader Sunil Sharma led objections to the banner, sparking a confrontation as party members tried to wrest it away, leading to a brief fistfight. Pulwama PDP MLA Waheed Para intervened to defend Sheikh.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders, including People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone, passed a resolution condemning the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and statehood.
“This House strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and 35A by the Government of India,” read the resolution, which further called for reversing the changes brought by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019.
The resolution urged the government to restore the region’s autonomy, respect its unique identity, and honor the constitutional provisions that initially safeguarded Jammu & Kashmir’s political and cultural distinctiveness.
Despite the disorder, the demand for the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status continues to fuel political tensions in the region.
