Mohammad Aatif Ammad Kanth, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly convened for a four-day session on November 4, marking its first meeting in nearly six years and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. The people of the Union Territory awaited, with eager anticipation, a resolution against this constitutional change — a promise made by Omar Abdullah, the vice president of the National Conference (NC), during his campaign in the recent Assembly elections. Omar had vowed that, if elected, the Assembly’s “first order of business” would be to pass a resolution opposing the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A.
On the opening day, Waheed Para, an MLA from the Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), sought to introduce a resolution condemning the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. However, as he began presenting the resolution, chaos erupted in the Assembly. Members from both the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the NC vehemently opposed it.
While resistance from the BJP was to be expected, the Opposition from NC members — especially Omar Abdullah himself — was a shocking turn of events for many. Omar and his colleagues dismissed the resolution as a “publicity stunt”, an unexpected move for a party that had once pledged to oppose the revocation of these critical provisions.
Para, confused and disheartened, clarified that the resolution was meant to reflect the sentiments of the people and to criticise the BJP’s actions, not the NC itself. He urged Omar Abdullah and the NC to honour their promise and support the resolution, emphasising that it aligned with the legacy of Sheikh Abdullah, the founder of the NC. “I presented the resolution that the JKNC promised and received votes for,” Para said. “I cannot understand why they did not support it.”
The refusal of NC members to back Para’s resolution stunned and disheartened the public. The NC, having secured a decisive 42-seat victory, had been seen as the primary force to counter the BJP and defend the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, including the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A — central promises in their election manifesto. Many who had voted for the NC now felt “betrayed”.
Ahmed Mukhtar (name changed), a man in his mid-thirties who cast his vote for the first time, expressed his deep disappointment. “We voted for the JKNC and Omar Abdullah because we believed they would defend our interests and emotions despite their past mistakes. Among the available options, they seemed the best choice, but once again, they have let us down.”
Although the NC abstained from supporting Para’s resolution, Opposition MLAs Sajad Lone and Sheikh Khurshid, both non-BJP leaders, stood by Para, criticising NC’s stance as a betrayal of the people. Sheikh Khurshid, MLA from Langate, argued that the NC, which had a history of betrayals, had once again shown itself to be anti-Kashmir and untrustworthy. Despite ideological differences with the PDP, Khurshid supported the resolution and believed it to be a reflection of the people’s sentiments. He was, however, taken aback when Omar Abdullah dismissed it as a “publicity stunt”.
Under growing public pressure and social media backlash for not supporting Para’s resolution, the JKNC introduced its own resolution on November 6, the third day of the Assembly session. This new resolution called for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status. The BJP opposed the resolution, and a ruckus ensued over the demand for special status. However, it garnered support from non-BJP members, including Para’s PDP, Sajad Lone and Sheikh Khurshid, and was eventually passed by the Speaker.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya responded by calling the resolution a “significant shift”, noting its complete omission of any reference to Articles 370 and 35A.
The resolution, however, left many non-BJP Opposition members and analysts puzzled as it failed to mention Articles 370 and 35A. This omission was seen as weak and ambiguous, signalling that the NC, under Omar Abdullah’s leadership, might be coming to terms with the finality of the removal of these provisions.
Senior journalist Nayeem Mehjoor, who has covered Kashmir’s political landscape for over three decades, called the resolution “disappointingly weak”. He speculated that recent meetings between Abdullah and top BJP leaders could indicate a shift in NC’s stance. “Not mentioning Articles 370 and 35A in the resolution essentially legitimises the August 5th decision,” Mehjoor remarked. “This resolution should have been introduced right at the start of the assembly’s session on November 4.”
The NC defended its position, claiming that the resolution was, in fact, a condemnation of the August 5 decision, asserting that “special status” inherently referred to Articles 370 and 35A.
Imran Nabi Dar, the NC’s state spokesperson, dismissed the criticism, accusing the Opposition of exaggerating the resolution’s weaknesses. “The Opposition is simply trying to stay in the headlines,” Dar said. “People chose us to advocate for Jammu and Kashmir. We have begun the democratic fight for restoring Articles 370 and 35A, and we will continue until that goal is achieved.”
While the NC continued to assert its commitment to restoring Article 370 and 35A, its ally, the Indian National Congress (INC), took a more reserved approach, focusing on restoring statehood and securing constitutional guarantees without directly addressing these provisions.
Tariq Karra, the INC’s Jammu and Kashmir chief, emphasised their focus on statehood restoration, making no mention of Articles 370 and 35A. Dar acknowledged the differing priorities of the parties involved, stating, “We do not expect them to align with everything we advocate. They can follow their party line, and we will adhere to ours.”
On the final day of the session, five non-BJP Opposition MLAs, who had supported the NC’s resolution despite its weak language, introduced what they called the “People’s Resolution”. This resolution strongly condemned the unconstitutional abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and demanded their full restoration, alongside the reversal of the changes introduced by the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. The resolution was not passed.
Sheikh Khurshid, one of the MLAs behind the People’s Resolution, argued that had the resolution been passed, it would have sent a clear message across India and the world that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had never accepted the August 5 decision. “Passing the resolution would have been a way to express the people’s resentment and formally register a protest,” Khurshid stated. “It would have sent a clear message. However, by failing to support the resolution, the National Conference has shown that it continually shifts its goals and compromises time and again.”
The National Conference’s handling of the Article 370 issue left many feeling betrayed and confused, as the party’s evolving stance revealed a stark contrast between its pre-election promises and its post-election actions.