Jammu and Kashmir Assembly erupts over Iran; CM Omar Abdullah urges PM Narendra Modi to intervene

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which resumed on Friday after a five-week recess, witnessed uproar over the ongoing West Asia crisis, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah terming it an "unjust and illegal war" imposed on Iran. He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his influence to help end the conflict in the interest of humanity.

Ruling National Conference legislators, led by Tanvir Sadiq, staged a protest outside the Assembly in Jammu in support of Iran, holding pictures of its assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Inside the House, the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) demanded a discussion on the US-Israel actions against Iran and called for a resolution backing Iran, reflecting what it termed public sentiment in Kashmir. BJP MLAs, however, argued that the issue was international in nature and beyond the Assembly's remit, even as they raised demands for a National Law University in Jammu. Amid the ruckus, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House briefly.

After proceedings resumed, Rather allowed members to speak and urged the Chief Minister to make a formal statement, noting that Parliament had also deliberated on the issue. "On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I strongly condemn this unjust and illegal war imposed on Iran. I express my deepest condolences over the loss of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his associates and all those who have died in this conflict," Abdullah said.