NEW DELHI: Former union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday criticised the Congress-led INDI Alliance ’s recent move demanding the restoration of Article 370 and special status for Jammu and Kashmir, terming it "an affront to the Indian Constitution and the Supreme Court’s stance."
At a press conference, Irani said, “Today, I stand as an Indian outraged at the attempt by the Congress-led INDI Alliance to bring to the floor of the House a resolution that is against the Indian Constitution.”
Irani in a sharp accusation claimed Congress was aligning with “terrorism” instead of supporting the region's stability and said, “Congress leadership, particularly the Gandhi family, needs to answer—do they stand for terrorism and against the development of J&K?” She further said that the BJP would “respond in unity” with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure continued stability and development.
This criticism came amid continued disruptions in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly , as Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, the brother of Engineer Rashid, displayed a banner advocating for Article 370 in the House.
She also questioned, “Does it stand against the rights of Dalits, tribals, children, and women?"
Irani said that the social and economic progress Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, attributing a marked reduction in violence and a surge in tourism to these changes.
“Incidents of violence have decreased by 70%, and tourism has reached record levels with over two crore visitors in the Kashmir Valley,” she added.
She also referenced developmental initiatives, questioning the Congress-led alliance’s stance and said, “The Congress-led alliance must clarify if it opposes the Rs 800 crore package provided by Prime Minister Modi’s government for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier today, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session witnessed intense commotion, with opposition members objecting to Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh's display of an Article 370 banner. Opposition leaders stormed into the well of the House, leading to a scuffle with Sheikh and other treasury bench members. BJP MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, voiced strong objections to the banner display. As tensions escalated, the Speaker ordered marshals to remove unruly members and urged the opposition to maintain decorum.
The uproar followed an earlier development on Monday and Wednesday, when the Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to consider restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Introduced by deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary, the resolution read, “That this legislative assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal.”
The resolution also called on the central government to initiate dialogue with Jammu and Kashmir’s elected representatives for restoring these provisions while balancing national unity and the aspirations of the region's people.
The passage of this resolution on Wednesday, endorsed by valley-based parties including the National Conference (NC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), People's Conference, AIP, and CPI(M), was hailed by local leaders but sparked a fierce backlash from the BJP. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in response, stated, “The Assembly has done its job,” marking a significant step for the NC, which had pledged the restoration of Article 370 in its manifesto.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti supported the move, though she described it as “half-hearted” and said that the resolution could have been better crafted. However, the BJP was quick to reject the measure. Sunil Sharma, BJP Leader of Opposition, criticised the resolution's inclusion in Assembly proceedings, asserting that it was “not part of the listed business.” Sharma said, “We reject the resolution. The business given to us was that the discussion is on LG's address.”
At a press conference, Irani said, “Today, I stand as an Indian outraged at the attempt by the Congress-led INDI Alliance to bring to the floor of the House a resolution that is against the Indian Constitution.”
Irani in a sharp accusation claimed Congress was aligning with “terrorism” instead of supporting the region's stability and said, “Congress leadership, particularly the Gandhi family, needs to answer—do they stand for terrorism and against the development of J&K?” She further said that the BJP would “respond in unity” with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure continued stability and development.
#WATCH | Delhi | On resolution in J&K demanding restoration of Article 370 and Special status, BJP leader Smriti Irani says, "Today, I stand as an Indian outraged at the attempt by the Congress-led INDI alliance to bring to the floor of the House a resolution that is against the… pic.twitter.com/8LYh7wBL3P
— ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2024
This criticism came amid continued disruptions in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly , as Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, the brother of Engineer Rashid, displayed a banner advocating for Article 370 in the House.
She also questioned, “Does it stand against the rights of Dalits, tribals, children, and women?"
Irani said that the social and economic progress Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, attributing a marked reduction in violence and a surge in tourism to these changes.
“Incidents of violence have decreased by 70%, and tourism has reached record levels with over two crore visitors in the Kashmir Valley,” she added.
She also referenced developmental initiatives, questioning the Congress-led alliance’s stance and said, “The Congress-led alliance must clarify if it opposes the Rs 800 crore package provided by Prime Minister Modi’s government for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier today, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session witnessed intense commotion, with opposition members objecting to Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh's display of an Article 370 banner. Opposition leaders stormed into the well of the House, leading to a scuffle with Sheikh and other treasury bench members. BJP MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, voiced strong objections to the banner display. As tensions escalated, the Speaker ordered marshals to remove unruly members and urged the opposition to maintain decorum.
#WATCH | A ruckus breaks out at J&K Assembly in Srinagar after Engineer Rashid's brother & MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh displayed a banner on Article 370. LoP Sunil Sharma objected to this. House adjourned briefly. pic.twitter.com/iKw8dQnRX1
— ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2024
The uproar followed an earlier development on Monday and Wednesday, when the Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to consider restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Introduced by deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary, the resolution read, “That this legislative assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal.”
#WATCH | Srinagar: Ruckus breaks out at J&K assembly over a resolution on the restoration of Article 370.
— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2024
Deputy CM Surinder Kumar Choudhary had demanded the resolution, LoP Sunil Sharma had objected to it. pic.twitter.com/2W5q12old0
#WATCH | Ruckus breaks out in J&K Assembly after PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para moved a resolution on the revocation of J&K's special status and Article 370 on the first day of the session. It was opposed by the BJP MLAs.
— ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2024
J&K CM Omar Abdullah says, "We knew that preparation for… pic.twitter.com/JwNTrJ6bJB
The resolution also called on the central government to initiate dialogue with Jammu and Kashmir’s elected representatives for restoring these provisions while balancing national unity and the aspirations of the region's people.
The passage of this resolution on Wednesday, endorsed by valley-based parties including the National Conference (NC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), People's Conference, AIP, and CPI(M), was hailed by local leaders but sparked a fierce backlash from the BJP. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in response, stated, “The Assembly has done its job,” marking a significant step for the NC, which had pledged the restoration of Article 370 in its manifesto.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti supported the move, though she described it as “half-hearted” and said that the resolution could have been better crafted. However, the BJP was quick to reject the measure. Sunil Sharma, BJP Leader of Opposition, criticised the resolution's inclusion in Assembly proceedings, asserting that it was “not part of the listed business.” Sharma said, “We reject the resolution. The business given to us was that the discussion is on LG's address.”
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