Amidst uproar, BJP runs mock Assembly from Well

BJP submits no‑confidence motion against Speaker Conducts Parallel Proceedings in Well of House Rehan Qayoom Mir Srinagar, Sep 28: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday submitted a no‑confidence motion against the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, accusing him of allowing what they termed an unconstitutional reference to special status in the statehood resolution. As soon as Question Hour began, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), BJP’s R.S. Pathania stood up, claiming that the Speaker could not preside over the House after a no‑confidence motion had been filed. “You cannot sit on the chair,” Pathania told the Speaker. The Speaker rejected the objections, clarifying that under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, leave for a no‑confidence motion can only be taken up 14 days after receipt of notice. “You can bring a motion. I have not seen it. Let me presume that it has been submitted. Our Rules are clear on how we deal with such motions,” the Speaker said, adding, “You don’t read the Rules properly.” As the Speaker explained the procedures, BJP legislators continued their protests, shouting slogans: “Speaker Sahab kursi chhodo, Speaker Sahab kursi chhodo.” Amid uproar, Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma reiterated that statehood was part of the BJP’s agenda but ruled out any discussion on the pre‑1953 position. “The Government of India rejected the pre‑1953 position when Omar Abdullah was Union Minister,” Sharma said. As the Deputy Chief Minister responded to LoP Sharma, BJP MLAs stormed into the Well of the House and disrupted proceedings. In an unusual protest, BJP legislators staged a mock session from the Well of the House. After trooping in, they sat down and began conducting parallel proceedings. During the mock session, BJP MLA Balwant Singh pointed towards Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat, accusing him of supporting autonomy. “Do you want the restoration of the post of Prime Minister’s nomenclature in Jammu & Kashmir?” BJP MLA Mankotia asked Bhat. The BJP legislators sitting in the Well also tried to disrupt speeches of almost every MLA, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during the debate on the statehood resolution. (KNO)