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BJP’s major move against J&K Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather sparks Assembly showdown. (Img: Dynamite News)
Srinagar: A fresh political confrontation erupted inside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, bringing the functioning of the House under intense scrutiny.
The move by BJP MLA R.S. Pathania has added another layer to the ongoing political turbulence in Jammu and Kashmir, where debates over statehood restoration, constitutional issues and the Assembly’s role have already created sharp divisions between the ruling National Conference-led alliance and the opposition BJP.
The development has drawn attention because the Speaker’s chair has now become part of the larger political contest playing out inside the Assembly.
During the Question Hour, BJP MLA R.S. Pathania informed the House that his party had submitted a notice seeking the removal of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
The BJP argued that once a no-confidence motion against the Speaker had been submitted, questions remained over whether Rather should continue conducting Assembly proceedings until the matter was addressed.
Following the announcement, BJP legislators raised slogans demanding that the Speaker vacate the chair, leading to noisy scenes inside the House.
The protest further intensified the already charged atmosphere of the Assembly session, where political parties have been engaged in a heated exchange over several major issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather responded to the BJP’s objection by stating that the no-confidence motion would be handled according to the established rules and procedures of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
The Speaker maintained that such a motion cannot be immediately taken up and requires completion of the prescribed process, including the mandatory 14-day period after submission of the notice.
Rather continued to preside over the proceedings, asserting that legislative business must continue according to constitutional and procedural guidelines.
The exchange between the Speaker and BJP legislators highlighted a procedural dispute over the interpretation of Assembly rules and the authority of the chair.
The latest face-off comes against the backdrop of a larger political battle over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
The statehood resolution has already triggered controversy, with BJP opposing references connected with earlier constitutional arrangements, while several legislators from the ruling alliance have demanded inclusion of issues related to Article 370 and Article 35A.
The BJP has accused the government of attempting to reopen debates linked with Jammu and Kashmir’s previous constitutional framework.
Meanwhile, the National Conference-led government has defended the Assembly’s discussions, maintaining that issues concerning statehood, governance and the political aspirations of Jammu and Kashmir can be debated within the legislative framework.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma also raised objections during the proceedings, while BJP members continued their protest against the Speaker.
The confrontation reflects a growing political divide between the opposition BJP and the ruling alliance over legislative procedures, Assembly resolutions and the future political direction of Jammu and Kashmir.
The session has witnessed repeated disagreements between lawmakers, with both sides accusing each other of disrupting the functioning of the House.
For the BJP, the issue is linked with legislative conduct and constitutional procedure, while the ruling alliance has maintained that the Assembly proceedings are being conducted within democratic norms.
The no-confidence motion against Abdul Rahim Rather will now go through the prescribed legislative process. The Assembly authorities are expected to examine the notice and decide the further course of action according to the rules.
The political significance of the move extends beyond the Speaker’s position, as it comes at a time when Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a broader debate over statehood restoration, constitutional questions and governance structure.
With major political issues already dominating the Assembly session, the coming days are expected to witness further confrontation between the ruling alliance and opposition benches.
The Speaker’s motion, statehood resolution and Article 370-related discussions have together transformed the ongoing Assembly session into a major political battleground in Jammu and Kashmir.
