Several BJP members were forcibly evicted from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Thursday, their political opponents thumping their desks in glee at this apparent turning of the tables following the return of democracy to the Union Territory.

BJP legislators — who had created a ruckus over Wednesday’s resolution seeking restoration of the special status — looked helpless as marshals evicted them one after the other on the directions of Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

When the BJP-led government at the Centre abolished Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status in August 2019, it had jailed three former chief ministers and dozens of former ministers and lawmakers. Many of them recently returned to the Assembly, revived after six years following elections.

The Assembly enjoys little power with the lieutenant governor’s administration calling the shots on key issues. But the MLAs from the National Conference and other parties, such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), appeared delighted at the spectacle of the evictions, perhaps seeing in it a comeuppance of sorts for the BJP.

The BJP members had continued their protests for a second day against Wednesday’s resolution, passed in the Assembly.

Valley parties that are in the Opposition had supported the resolution, but are unhappy with the ruling National Conference for the document’s “mild” language that avoids any mention of Article 370 or condemnation of the 2019 developments.

As the House sat on Thursday, the Speaker asked Baramulla MLA Javaid Baig (National Conference) to initiate the discussion on the lieutenant governor’s address.

Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma (BJP) interrupted, calling Wednesday’s resolution “illegal and unconstitutional”.

Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed, brother of the jailed Baramulla MP, Sheikh Abdul “Engineer” Rashid, jumped into the Well of the House with a banner that read: “We demand restoration of Article 370 and release of prisoners.”

Several BJP legislators rushed menacingly towards him before being stopped by the marshals. Some BJP members snatched the banner from Khursheed but faced stiff opposition from MLAs of other parties, including the PDP and the People’s Conference.

The Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the House reassembled, a battle of slogans broke out between BJP and National Conference members.

Rather directed the marshals not to allow BJP members to storm the Well. The BJP legislators refused to relent but, emboldened by the Speaker’s directive, Assembly staff evicted several BJP legislators.

Videos of the eviction were widely circulated on social media, with several users commenting it was “payback time” for the party.

BJP members alleged that some of them were injured during the eviction.

With order continuing to elude the House, the Speaker adjourned it till Friday.

Separately, five non-BJP Opposition legislators — Sajad Lone, Waheed Para, Fayaz Mir, Sheikh Rashid and Shabir Ahmad Kullay — tried unsuccessfully to submit another resolution seeking the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A, which gave special privileges to Jammu and Kashmir’s people.

Lone, accompanied by PDP member Para, later told reporters that their resolution, labelled a “people’s resolution”, was “unconditional and without tinkering of words”.

He said it clearly condemned the Centre’s August 5, 2019, actions and asked the House to vote on it.

Lone alleged that the National Conference had passed a “weak resolution which has humiliated and betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.

“We supported the National Conference-led resolution in the House yesterday, but… it does not clearly mention Article 370 and 35A,” he said. “At the same time, we are not criticising this resolution.”