The logjam in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly finally broke on Wednesday afternoon after chief minister Omar Abdullah returned to the House and expressed regret over his remarks from the previous day. The chief minister’s move brought an end to a standoff that had seen BJP legislators staging a sit-in in the well and paralysing proceedings since the start of the day’s session.
Addressing the House as order was restored, the chief minister said: “If my words have hurt the sentiments of any member or the dignity of this House, I regret them.”
He requested Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to expunge the controversial remarks from the official record, noting that while political exchanges are often heated, the decorum of the House must be upheld.
Chaos and confrontation
The day had begun on a volatile note. As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, BJP legislators led by Sham Lal Sharma and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma demanded an unconditional apology. The opposition accused the Leader of the House of using language that had “no precedent” in parliamentary history. The protest escalated quickly: BJP MLA Satish Sharma was seen standing on his desk, while other members trooped into the well, raising slogans against the government.
The treasury benches initially pushed back, with health minister Sakeena Itoo and deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary accusing the BJP of using derogatory language themselves, particularly against the deputy CM. However, as the sit-in persisted and the BJP members refused to relent, the Speaker repeatedly appealed for calm, reminding the legislators that the public was watching their conduct.
Back to business
The breakthrough came when the chief minister opted to address the issue directly on the floor. Following his expression of regret, the Speaker ordered that all unwarranted remarks from both the treasury and opposition benches be struck from the records. “The Leader of the House has shown grace, and it is now time for us to focus on the issues of the people,” Rather said, directing the assembly to proceed with its scheduled agenda.
With the apology accepted, BJP members ended their dharna and returned to their seats.
The House, which faced disruption for two days, got back to discussing departmental grants and the Union Territory’s budget.
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