Srinagar. After a week‑long autumn session, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly adjourned with the ruling coalition and the opposition locked in a fierce standoff. On the final day, opposition leader Sunil Sharma launched a blistering critique of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s government, asserting that numerous complaints voiced by lawmakers and citizens remain unresolved.
Opposition’s List of Unmet Demands
Sharma dismissed the administration’s claim that the session was productive. He highlighted that, although the Bharatiya Janata Party raised grievances from multiple districts, pressing matters affecting daily‑wage workers, contract employees, National Health Mission staff, ASHA volunteers and Anganwadi workers were sidelined.
Statehood Bill Ignites Controversy
The most polarising issue was a resolution calling for the full restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Introduced by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on 25 September, the motion was approved despite a walk‑out and protests from BJP legislators.
While the BJP publicly endorses the return of statehood, it objected to the wording that referenced earlier positions on autonomy and special status. Sharma described the language as unconstitutional and questioned why Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather allowed the debate to proceed in spite of objections from the Law Department and the Chief Secretary.
Speaker Faces Accusations
Sharma demanded that the Speaker be held accountable for permitting the contentious resolution to be debated and adopted. Rather defended the Assembly’s procedural safeguards, insisting that the house adhered to established rules for such matters. The exchange added fuel to the confrontations that characterised the week‑long session.
BJP Vows Rigorous Scrutiny
Following the adjournment, Sharma pledged that the opposition would keep the government under constant scrutiny. He announced that the BJP would compile a detailed dossier contrasting the promises made by the Abdullah ministry with its actual performance.
Session Ends with Deepening Rift
The autumn session wrapped up amid stark disagreements over governance priorities, public‑service issues, and the statehood resolution, underscoring the enduring political divide within the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
