Jammu, Sep 26: Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma on Saturday called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
The meeting assumed significance as it occurred a day after the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, in continuation to the resolutions passed by the House on June 26, 2000 and November 6, 2024, calling upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
In the aftermath of the resolution, the BJP, which opposed it tooth and nail in the House, later in a press conference in Jammu on September 25, appealed to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately dismiss the J&K government, which, it alleged, “crossed its constitutional limits by passing a resolution that endangered the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.”
However, the official statement, issued by BJP, about LOP’s meeting with the Union Home Minister made no mention of it, explicitly.
As per the statement, the duo held detailed discussions on a range of important issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, Sharma apprised the Union Home Minister of matters related to the prevailing security situation, law and order, development initiatives, public concerns and matters related to the ongoing session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
He also raised the issue of enhancement of salaries of Special Police Officers (SPOs), which was at the final stage and requested that the matter be expedited for its early conclusion.
Sharma also highlighted key concerns being raised by the people of Jammu and Kashmir and discussed matters requiring continued attention, coordination, and support from the union government. The interaction, as per official statement, provided an opportunity to the duo to “deliberate on strengthening security, accelerating development initiatives and addressing issues related to public welfare across the Union Territory.”
During the discussion, HM Amit Shah reiterated the union government’s commitment to peace, development, and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir and assured continued support and cooperation in addressing matters concerning the people of the Union Territory.
Sunil Sharma expressed his gratitude to the Union Home Minister for his guidance and continued support on issues concerning the security, development, and welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the statement read.
With regard to statehood resolution, which triggered political storm, BJP MLAs, while demanding dismissal of Omar-government, on September 25 had asserted that it (resolution moved by the NC-led government) was not confined to the legitimate demand for statehood and instead it sought to bring back issues concerning autonomy, separate identity and the pre-1953 arrangement.
Former minister and MLA Sham Sharma, during the presser in Jammu on September 25, had maintained that the situation was very alarming as the National Conference-Congress government was “attempting to overrun its constitutional domain, challenge Parliament and Supreme Court and thus endangering sovereignty and integrity of the nation.”
BJP MLAs pointed out that the most serious concern in the resolution of September 25, 2026 was the reference to the resolution of June 26, 2000, which, they said, represented the demand for restoration of the pre-1953 arrangement and greater autonomy.
The 2000 resolution had sought restoration of greater autonomy to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The present resolution, read together with the two earlier resolutions, was an alarming development. The references raised questions about demands concerning autonomy, separate identity and other arrangements that went far beyond the issue of restoration of statehood,” the J&K BJP leaders had pointed out.
The issue of Special Police Officers (SPOs), which also figured during deliberations between the Union Home Minister and LoP Sunil Sharma, pertained to their long-pending demand for enhancement of the honorarium.
LOP Sharma recently divulged that good news for SPOs was in the offing as the matter was taken up with the concerned authorities and that several meetings and communications had taken place between Police Headquarters and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
According to Sharma, the formalities for processing the proposal had been completed and Police Headquarters had forwarded a proposal for enhancement of SPO honorarium to the MHA.
“The proposal is presently under consideration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. Very soon, you will hear that the salaries of SPOs have been enhanced,” he had reaffirmed.
Recalling the previous enhancement in SPO remuneration from Rs 6000 to Rs 18,000 in 2014, Sharma said the increase had taken into account their period of service.
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