The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed a heated confrontation on Saturday between the National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the so-called “special status” of the region. The debate escalated into loud sloganeering, briefly disrupting proceedings.
The commotion began when NC MLA Javid Baig vociferously spoke in favour of Article 370 and the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma responded firmly, asserting that the term “special status” has no basis in the Indian Constitution.
“I am ready to face any punishment if anyone can show me the words ‘special status’ in the Constitution. Shouting in the House will not work,” Sharma said, according to the Kashmir News Observer (KNO). His remarks sparked counter-slogans from NC MLAs in support of Article 370, while BJP members also raised slogans, leading to a brief period of commotion in the Assembly.
Sharma’s comments reflect the BJP’s longstanding position that Article 370, which granted special provisions to Jammu & Kashmir, was abrogated in 2019, and that claims of a continued “special status” are misleading. He accused the NC of raising the issue to distract from governance challenges in the region and reiterated that constitutional demands must be backed by explicit provisions.
The incident highlights the ongoing political friction in Jammu & Kashmir over its constitutional identity and governance. Lawmakers on both sides continue to leverage Article 370 and related issues as key points of political debate, despite its formal repeal.
Officials said the Assembly session resumed smoothly after the slogans subsided, and normal proceedings continued. Observers noted that such clashes underscore the deep political divides in the state, as parties continue to contest historical and legal interpretations of Jammu & Kashmir’s status within the Indian Union.
