Srinagar, Sep 28: Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Monday said there was “no room for any Pakistan agenda” in Jammu and Kashmir and that it would remain an integral part of India, even as he drew a sharp line between the BJP’s support for restoration of statehood and what he called unconstitutional references to the pre-1953 position.
Addressing reporters in Srinagar, Sharma said the BJP was committed to statehood but will not accept a resolution that invokes the National Conference’s June 2000 autonomy resolution or the November 2024 special-status resolution.
“J&K is an integral part of India and it will always remain. There is no room for any Pakistan agenda here,” he said.
“If the CM brings only a statehood resolution, we will support it. Statehood is the agenda of the BJP and we are committed to it. It will come,” the LOP said.
He said that references to the 2000 and 2024 resolutions “violate the Constitution” because they raise issues linked to the pre-1953 constitutional arrangement.
The resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 25 called for the “immediate and urgent” restoration of full statehood “in addition to the resolutions passed by this House on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024.”
That wording became the flashpoint in the House.
BJP members entered the Well of the House, raised slogans, moved a motion seeking the Speaker’s removal, and later walked out before the resolution was put to vote.
Several amendments were sought to widen the text further towards Articles 370 and 35-A.
The June 26, 2000, resolution adopted the State Autonomy Committee report of the then Farooq Abdullah government.
It sought restoration of what the committee described as the pre-1953 position: residual powers with the state except defence, foreign affairs, communications, and currency; revival of the titles of Sadr-e-Riyasat and Wazir-e-Azam; and rolling back of many constitutional application orders issued after 1954.
The Vajpayee Cabinet rejected the report on July 4, 2000, saying it would reverse integration and harm national integrity.
The November 6, 2024, resolution, moved in the first session of the newly elected Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, did not name Articles 370 or 35-A.
It reaffirmed the “importance of special status and constitutional guarantees,” expressed “concern” over their “unilateral removal,” and called on the Centre to start a dialogue and work out “constitutional mechanisms” for restoration, while stressing national unity.
The BJP opposed it then as well.
For the BJP, citing those two texts in a Statehood resolution is an attempt to reopen a closed chapter after the August 5, 2019, reorganisation, the abrogation of Article 370, and the Supreme Court’s December 2023 judgment upholding that decision.
Sharma said talk of a “double flag” and “double Constitution” was an insult to the Constitution of India.
He also claimed Union Home Minister Amit Shah had conveyed “serious displeasure” at any revival of pre-1953 slogans.
The Centre has repeatedly said restoration of statehood is a settled commitment, to be timed after security and administrative conditions allow, while treating the 2019 constitutional changes as final.
Sharma framed the present situation in those terms: “Today the situation is peaceful and only Statehood is missing. BJP is in support of the Statehood demand of the government.”
He rejected any deadline set by the Chief Minister.
“Who is the CM to set a timeline? Statehood will be given and we are committed to it. Discussions should not be taken in a hurry,” Sharma said.
He accused the NC and Congress of trying to revive issues that “neighbours who always try to take advantage” could exploit.
On Congress, the LOP said the party had been “exposed” in the House and must answer whether it wants a return to the pre-1953 situation, Article 370, and 35-A.
“They should answer and their leaders should be held accountable,” he said.
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