DNA: Analysing NC, PDP Leaders’ Push For Article 370 Amid Unrest In J&K Assembly

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed a chaotic session on Thursday, marked by disruptions, heated exchanges, and even physical altercations among legislators. The uproar was sparked by ongoing debates surrounding Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir until its abrogation in 2019. While Article 370’s restoration lies beyond the powers of the Assembly, legislators from the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) reignited the issue, despite nationwide awareness that its return is highly unlikely.

In today's DNA, Anant Tyagi gives you an insight into the political DNA of the leaders from the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who reignited the issue.

DNA : जम्मू-कश्मीर असेंबली में धारा-370 पर 'नाटकबाजी'. धारा-370 नहीं लौट सकती..फिर ये ड्रामा क्यों ?

जम्मू-कश्मीर असेंबली में धारा-370 पर 'क्रेडिट वॉर', जम्मू-कश्मीर में धारा 370 पर 'मैच फिक्स'#DNA #JammuKashmir #Article370 @Anant_Tyagii @timechangelives pic.twitter.com/R3XvhDJKJV

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 7, 2024

Scenes in the Assembly quickly escalated as NC and PDP members displayed large banners demanding Article 370’s restoration. Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh, an NC legislator, held a banner aloft while chanting slogans, causing BJP members to respond angrily. One BJP MLA reportedly tore Sheikh’s banner, sparking a physical confrontation that included shoving and shouting. Marshals intervened to separate the lawmakers and restore order, but the session had already devolved into what observers compared to “a fish market.”

The NC and PDP, former rivals who have occasionally aligned on Article 370, both sought to pass resolutions urging the central government to reinstate the provision. However, with BJP opposition, the resolutions failed to progress, and the Assembly continued to wrestle over the symbolic gesture.

J&K Assembly Speaker repeatedly appealed for calm, though his pleas went largely unheeded. Observers noted a visible smile on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s face as the tumult unfolded, sparking questions about the political motives behind the commotion. “This isn’t about Article 370,” said one BJP spokesperson. “It’s about a fight for relevance in the Assembly, where the legislators are using the people’s Assembly for their own credit war.”

Political analysts noted that Article 370 has taken a symbolic role in J&K, with its former significance largely a thing of the past. A significant portion of the Assembly’s opposition believes that by stirring debate around Article 370, the NC and PDP are aiming to appeal to specific groups within the region who hold the issue close.