Decode Politics: In post-Art 370 polls, NC raises autonomy for J&K. Why, how, what now?

While autonomy has been a consistent demand of the NC, it has also at times been accused of eroding it. In 2000, the NC government under Farooq Abdullah passed a resolution in the Assembly seeking the restoration of autonomy in J&K, but it never saw the light of day.

📌 What is the historical context to the autonomy demand?

Unlike other states in India, J&K was granted special status through Article 370, after it signed the Instrument of Accession with India in October 1947. This allowed the erstwhile state to have its own Constitution and flag, as well as a Wazir-e-Azam (Prime Minister) and Sadr-e-Riyasat (State President), as well as complete control on all subjects of governance, except foreign affairs, defence and communication.

The state continued to enjoy these special powers till 1953, when the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, was arrested. Since then, the powers have been largely on the decline.

📌 What does autonomy mean for J&K and when did it return to the state’s politics?

As the word suggests, autonomy is the demand for more powers. In the context of J&K, it means a return to the pre-1953 era, including re-introduction of designations of Wazir-e-Azam and Sadr-e-Risayat for its top political leaders.

After militancy gripped J&K starting the 1980s, and following an open revolt against New Delhi by the state government, J&K was without an elected government for six years, with the Centre dictating matters. While the Centre claimed it was keen to hold Assembly elections in the state, no mainstream political party reciprocated due to the standoff between the two sides.

Things took a turn in 1995 when then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, during a visit to Burkina Faso in West Africa, said “sky’s the limit for autonomy in Kashmir”. Following his statement, the NC agreed to contest elections in J&K with restoration of autonomy as a condition, thus bringing the demand back to the political discourse of the then state.

📌 What are the salient features of the autonomy demand?

In the 1996 Assembly elections held subsequently, the NC stormed to power winning 57 of the 87 seats . On June 26, 2000 its government passed a resolution seeking autonomy in the Assembly.

Some of the key points of the resolution included declaration of Article 370 as “special” in the Constitution as against referring to it as “temporary”, revocation of various Articles that had been applied to Jammu and Kashmir after 1953, and the re-introduction of the terms Wazir-e-Azam and Sadr-e-Riyasat.

Following the passage of the resolution in the Assembly, then CM Farooq Abdullah said, “It was our promise to the people of Jammu and Kashmir during elections that we would reinstate their decorum and respect.”

📌 What fate did the resolution meet?

The Union Cabinet, headed by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, rejected the resolution on July 4, 2000, arguing that it seeks to “reverse the application of Constitutional provisions, (and would) harm the country’s integrity and interests of the people of the state”.

The Cabinet decided against introducing the resolution in Parliament.

📌 How do other parties in J&K view autonomy?

The demand for autonomy resonates with the people of J&K, especially among those who think secession from India is not a viable option.

With such a prevailing environment, opposing the move could prove detrimental for political parties, especially Kashmir-based ones. Hence, the Peoples Democratic Party has proposed “self-rule” for the UT, a move which many see as an upgraded version of autonomy.

The BJP has been vocally opposed to any form of autonomy for J&K.