Srinagar, 25 Sept (KNS) : Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, today accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of invoking Article 370, autonomy, and earlier resolutions within the statehood resolution to revive political sentiment in Kashmir and divert public attention from governance failures.

Sharma said the BJP is fully prepared to debate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, but will not accept any attempt to smuggle the issues of Article 370 and the 2000 Autonomy Resolution into the Assembly under the guise of a statehood resolution.

"When the government has lost its political strength in Jammu and Kashmir on governance, an attempt is being made to recover that strength by invoking words and references designed to stir sentiment and emotion among the people of Kashmir," Sharma said.

He questioned the rationale behind dragging the year 2000 Autonomy Resolution into a resolution ostensibly meant only for restoration of statehood.

"The BJP rejected the Autonomy Resolution long ago and made its position absolutely clear. The question is: why is that resolution being resurrected now? If the issue is statehood, let us debate statehood nothing else," he said.

Sharma made clear that the BJP will not permit Article 370 and autonomy to be debated in the House under cover of the present resolution.

"At no cost will the so-called Autonomy Resolution or Article 370 be allowed to become part of this debate. There will be no discussion on these issues. If the government wants to discuss statehood, we accept the challenge, the BJP is ready," he said.

The Leader of Opposition added that every BJP MLA is prepared for a substantive debate on full restoration of statehood.

"The BJP is ready. Every BJP MLA is ready. But statehood must not be entangled with earlier resolutions and issues that have already been rejected. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve clarity on why these references were brought into the present resolution," Sharma said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

He also demanded that the Congress party clarify its position on Article 370 and the Autonomy Resolution.

"Congress must clear its stand. From Rahul Gandhi to the state Congress chief, tell the people clearly whether you stand with this resolution, with the pre-1953 position, with Article 370 and the Autonomy Resolution, or with the Government. One position must be made unambiguous," he said.

Sharma also questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's own record, recalling his earlier role in the NDA government led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"When the BJP rejected the Autonomy Resolution, Omar Abdullah was himself a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. Why, then, is the same issue being brought before this Assembly today?" Sharma asked.

He further alleged that the government was prolonging the statehood issue to avoid accountability on governance.

"You know statehood will come. What worries you are the questions on what you have delivered to the people. To hide your failures, you are prolonging the statehood issue and dragging in other resolutions and sentiments," Sharma said.

The LoP said the government could pursue statehood restoration with the Union government without dragging in references to Article 370 and autonomy.

"If the government genuinely wants statehood restored, it should pursue that issue alone with the appropriate authorities. Why bring disputed and controversial references into the Assembly? The BJP demands answers," he said.

Sharma reiterated that the BJP will continue its democratic protest until the government clarifies why these references were included, and until Congress makes its position on Article 370 and the Autonomy Resolution unambiguous.

"Until the government answers these questions, and Congress clarifies its stand on Article 370 and the Autonomy Resolution, our democratic protest will continue," he said.(KNS)