Associated News Bureau

Sham Lal Sharma Accuses NC-Congress Government of Overstepping Constitutional Domain

Jammu, September 25, 2026: Senior BJP leader and MLA Sham Lal Sharma on Friday accused the National Conference-Congress coalition government of overstepping its constitutional domain through the resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, alleging that its references to earlier autonomy-related resolutions raised concerns beyond the issue of restoration of statehood. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, Sham Sharma, accompanied by MLAs Dr Narinder Singh, Ch. Vikram Randhawa, Yudhvir Sethi, Arvind Gupta and Surinder Bhagat, criticised the government over the resolution moved during the ongoing autumn session. Sharma alleged that the government was attempting to challenge the authority of Parliament and the Supreme Court by using the Assembly to revive issues relating to autonomy, separate identity and the pre-1953 constitutional arrangement. He said the resolution moved by the Chief Minister referred to resolutions passed by the House on June 26, 2000 and November 6, 2024, besides seeking the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. According to Sharma, the reference to the 2000 resolution was particularly significant as that resolution had sought greater autonomy for the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned why earlier autonomy-related resolutions had been incorporated into a fresh resolution concerning restoration of statehood. “The issue is not merely about restoration of statehood. The references incorporated into today's resolution raise questions about the political direction being pursued by the government,” Sharma said. He alleged that the government was attempting to bring back issues associated with the pre-1953 period under the broader demand for statehood. Sharma maintained that the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir could not claim powers superior to Parliament or the Supreme Court. The BJP leader also criticised the conduct of the ongoing Assembly session, alleging that the proceedings had not been conducted properly from the outset. He accused the Speaker of providing what he termed a “safe passage” to the government instead of ensuring adherence to the rules and maintaining the sanctity of the House. Sharma questioned the procedure through which the Chief Minister moved the resolution and alleged that established parliamentary norms had not been followed. He also accused the NC-led government of attempting to divert public attention from issues affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “The BJP believes in positive politics and will continue to raise the genuine issues of the people before the government,” he said, adding that the party would continue to seek solutions to issues concerning the public. Referring to the National Conference, Sharma alleged that the party had once again displayed what he described as its “old mentality and old agenda”. He also referred to the NC's historical antecedents and accused it of attempting to revive what he termed the politics of “death and destruction” in Jammu and Kashmir. Sharma described the Chief Minister's resolution as a continuation of the political position reflected in an earlier resolution and questioned the government's jurisdiction to deal with matters that, according to him, fall beyond its constitutional domain. He alleged that Congress was equally responsible for supporting the position adopted by the NC-led government and demanded that the Congress leadership in Jammu and Kashmir and at the national level clarify its stand on the resolution and its references to earlier autonomy-related resolutions. Sharma said the BJP remained committed to restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir through the appropriate constitutional process. However, he alleged that the present resolution went beyond the issue of statehood by bringing autonomy, separate identity and the pre-1953 arrangement into the discussion. He accused the NC-led government of attempting to “play spoilsport” on the issue of statehood and alleged that its approach could revive demands and political arrangements associated with the earlier constitutional framework. “The BJP will not allow the people of Jammu and Kashmir to be taken back to what we describe as the dark ages under the garb of a statehood demand,” Sharma said. He further alleged that the references in the resolution could have implications for the sovereignty and integrity of the country and warned against what he described as attempts to revive demands for an autonomous or separate political arrangement. Sharma reiterated that the BJP supports restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir through the constitutional process but would oppose any attempt to link the demand with the revival of autonomy-related or pre-1953 arrangements. In a strong political demand, Sharma appealed to the Union Home Minister to consider dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir government, alleging that the government had crossed its constitutional limits through the resolution adopted by the Assembly. He said the BJP would continue to raise issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir and oppose what it considers attempts to undermine the constitutional framework and unity of the country. The central points in the copy above are framed as Sham Lal Sharma's allegations and political assertions. Contemporary reporting confirms that the autumn session began on September 21, 2026 and that Sharma has been among BJP legislators confronting the NC-led government during the session. ANB