BJP holds protest in Jammu against resolution on special status passed by J&K Assembly

JAMMU: The BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit staged a protest here to denounce the resolution on the restoration of J&K’s special status, which was passed by the assembly on Wednesday.

The resolution has sought a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives for the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state.

Led by party president Sat Paul Sharma, a group of BJP workers came out of the party headquarters at Trikuta Nagar in the outskirts of the city this afternoon and set ablaze a joint effigy of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his deputy Surinder Choudhary amid slogans against the National Conference-led government.

J&K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution for restoring the erstwhile state’s special status, which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019. The resolution was passed without any debate as the Speaker put it to voice vote amidst noisy scenes by opposition BJP members.

“Article 370 has become part of history and the National Conference through this resolution made an attempt to revive it,” Sharma told reporters.

Sharma said Choudhary was “Jammu’s Jaichand” and added that he had taken votes to safeguard the interests of Jammu but is trying to disturb the environment here by moving the resolution. Jaichand was the king of Kannauj who is projected as a betrayer to the Indian cause in some historical accounts.

He said the National Conference is fully aware that Article 370 cannot be restored as long as Narendra Modi is the prime minister and Amit Shah is the home minister, even if they pass thousands of such resolutions.

“This is nothing but an attempt to disturb the peaceful situation. Similar attempts were made by the National Conference when we were in power,” said Sharma, a former minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government.

Former J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, who was also present in the protest, slammed the National Conference and its coalition partner Congress and said “by bringing the resolution, they have betrayed the nation”.

“Article 370 gave birth to separatism and terrorism in J&K and was buried by the BJP-led central government to restore peace in the region. We know such resolutions will not help in the restoration of the revoked constitutional provision,” he said. (PTI)