BJP Walks Out Over Kashmir 'Martyrs' Controversy: Sparks Fly in JK Assembly

The BJP staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly following a heated debate over the restoration of holidays marking the 1931 'martyrs'. PDP's Waheed-ur-Rehman Para called for the reinstatement of these holidays and criticized BJP's policies, while BJP's Sunil Sharma opposed, resulting in a rift.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed high drama on Wednesday as the BJP walked out following a contentious debate over the reinstatement of public holidays marking the 1931 'martyrs'. The tension unfolded as Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather announced the expunging of ''derogatory remarks'' made by the leader of opposition, Sunil Sharma.

PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para strongly advocated for restoring the July 13 and December 5 holidays, attributing the former to the 1931 'martyrs' and the latter to National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Para accused the BJP-led administration of undermining democratic values by abolishing these holidays post the abrogation of Article 370.

The controversy escalated with Sharma's backlash against the holiday restorations, eliciting protests and slogan shouting among assembly members. After the Speaker's decision to expunge Sharma's remarks, BJP members exited the assembly in protest. Both Para and Sharma continued their war of words outside the assembly, emphasizing their contrasting views on the historical recognition in the region.