The BJP walked out of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather removed comments made by opposition leader Sunil Sharma about the July 13, 1931 "martyrs."
Sharma had made these remarks after PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para demanded the restoration of public holidays on July 13 and December 5, which were scrapped after Article 370 was revoked in 2019.
Para argued that July 13 should be recognised as a day of sacrifice for democracy and called for a resolution to shift prisoners back to J&K from jails outside the region.
His speech criticised the BJP for reducing J&K’s status and accused the LG's speech of pushing the BJP’s agenda instead of addressing the people's concerns. He warned that suppressing people's voices could lead to unrest.
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Sharma strongly opposed restoring the July 13 holiday, leading to protests from NC, PDP, and other opposition members. CPI(M) and Congress leaders also demanded that Sharma apologise for his remarks. The Speaker then removed the comments from the record, prompting all 28 BJP members to walk out in protest.
Outside the assembly, Sharma defended his stance, saying that those killed in 1931 were not "martyrs" and that the Maharaja was a just ruler. Para, in response, said that July 13 marked a democratic awakening and should not be viewed through a religious lens.
Para also demanded fairer government job reservations and urged the shifting of Kashmiri prisoners from jails in other states back to J&K, saying their families struggle to visit them.
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