“We are not among those who cheat”: CM Omar Abdullah amid ruckus in J&K assembly over Art 370

GANDERBAL: Chief Minister of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, reiterated on Thursday his call for raising a voice through the Legislative Assembly and sending a message that what happened on August 5, 2019, was not acceptable to them.

“I have been repeatedly saying to you that we have to raise our voice through the assembly and send a message through it, that what happened with us on August 5, 2019 that is not acceptable to us,” CM Omar told a gathering in Ganderabl after laying the foundation of a “crucial” bridge.

Omar Abdullah, who is a member of the Legislative Assembly from Ganderbal added, ” That was done without our permission, will and without consulting us. When it was not mentioned on the first day (Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly) some people started to taunt us. ‘They forget. Cheated’. We are not among those who cheat. The difference is that we are the people who know the rules and regulations.”

During his visit to the Ganderbal constituency, CM Omar Abdullah was accompanied by his deputy Surinder Kumar Choudhary and advisor to CM, Nasir Aslam Wani.

He added, “We know how to bring the matters through the assembly. We wanted such a voice to be raised via the assembly which can’t be even ignored by the BJP-led Centre. We could have introduced a resolution on the very first day which they would have thrown into a dustbin. Then, what would have benefitted us?

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly continues to face disruption on Thursday as the opposition mounts a strong objection to Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA and brother of Engineer Rashid, Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh displaying a banner on Article 370.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Sunil Sharma along with other BJP MLAs objected to the banner display of Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh as the opposition MLAs stormed into the well of the house and were seen involved in a scuffle with Seikh Khurshid and other MLAs of the treasury bench.

The speaker ordered the marshals to remove those members who were seen crossing their limits and asked the opposition leaders to behave properly.

Earlier, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) moved a fresh resolution seeking the restoration of Article 370 and 35A.

“The house strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, by the Government of India. These actions stripped J-K of its special status and statehood, undermining the foundational guarantees and protections originally according to the region and its people by the Constitution of India,” read the proposed resolution.

The resolution was signed by PDP leaders, and Sheikh Khurshid too. The first session of the newly elected assembly kickstarted on November 4, Monday.

On the first day too, an uproar erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly when PDP (People’s Democratic Party) leader Waheed Para, representing the Pulwama constituency introduced a resolution against the revocation of Article 370 and to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

PDP Supremo Mehbooba Mufti also lauded the PDP leader for introducing the resolution in the assembly.

Notably, the restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood as well as the implementation of the autonomy resolution was one of the main promises made by the National Conference in its manifesto for the Jammu-Kashmir elections.

The first session of the new assembly will conclude on November 8.