SME Times News Bureau | 05 Aug, 2019
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Jammu and
Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 and adopted the resolution to repeal Article
370 of the Constitution, paving way for bifurcation of the state into two Union
territories (UTs) and allowing people from other states to buy land there.
The BJP-led ruling alliance received support of many non-NDA parties, with
these measures sailing through the upper house of Parliament without much
effort.
Announcing
a path breaking decision by the Government, Shri Shah said that the Government
is moving a resolution which would repeal the provisions under Article 370 of
the Constitution of India,which granted a
special status to the state of J&K.
The
provisions of Article 370 would cease to exist from the date President of India
issues a notification in this regard, after the recommendation of the
Parliament. Consequently, the Constitution of India would get applicable to
J&K, on par with other states/UTs of the country, the Minister added.
Responding
to apprehensions on the resolution and the future of J&K,Shri Shah said,“I
would just say that the bill that the Government is bringing is historic.
Article 370 has prevented J&K to merge with India rather than being a basis
of its merger.”
The
politics of vote bank has looted the youth of the state for over 70 years. I
would call on the opposition members to debate and discuss on why the benefits
of development were not allowed to reach the common people of J&K till now.
Politics
of religion must be avoided at all costs. Article 370 is equally harmful for
people of all religions”, the Minister said.
Further, the Minister
termed the provisions of Article 370 as
discriminatory on the basis of gender, class, caste and place of origin. The
youth is being taken for a ride by the political elite. This provision was
temporary in the first place and it has to go in the larger interest of the
people of J&K, he added.
The Rajya Sabha also passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second
Amendment) Bill, 2019, providing for 10 per cent reservation for Economically
Weaker Sections of upper castes in the state.
Earlier in the day after introducing two resolutions and two bills pertaining
to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah explained that under Article 370(3), there is a
provision that President, on recommendation of the Parliament, has the power to
amend or cease the implementation of Article 370, through a public
notification.
"This has already happened on a number of occasions in the past," he
noted.
The two resolutions moved by the Minister are Constitution (Application to
Jammu & Kashmir) Order, 2019 issued by the President to supersede the 1954
order related to Article 370 and Resolution for Repeal of Article 370 of the
Constitution. The two bills are Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019
and Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2019.
The Home Minister said that post the repeal of Article 370, doors to private
investment in J&K would be opened, which would in turn increase the
potential for development there.
Increased investments would lead to increased job creation and further
betterment of socio-economic infrastructure in the state. Opening of buying of
lands would bring in investments from private individuals and multinational
companies and give a boost to the local economy, as opposed to the
apprehensions raised by those opposing this historic step.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister told the youth of the state that
Article 370 holds no benefits for them.
"It would only benefit a few elite people who want to keep the youth poor
for ever and corner all benefits for themselves," he said.
While main opposition Congress objected to repeal of Article 370 and creation
of UTs, many non-NDA parties such as the BSP, the AIADMK, the AAP, the YSRCP
and the BJD supported the government.
AIADMK's A. Navaneethakrishnan said: "Amma (late party chief J.
Jayalalithaa) was well known for upholding sovereignty and integrity.
"So the AIADMK party supports the two resolutions, the Reorganisation Bill
and the Reservation Bill."
Participating in the discussion on the bill, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya
Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said that government had sought to disintegrate the
country.
"We went from Prime Minister to Chief Minister, now we're at Lt. Governor.
You've made the Governor a clerk. You've made Jammu and Kashmir a non-entity.
Bring this to your state and see what happens," he told Amit Shah.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said that dismembering the state of Jammu
and Kashmir would be a fatal error by the government and it sends very wrong
signal to states in the country.
Opposing the move, CPI-M's T.K. Rangarajan said today was black day.
"You didn't consult people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. You dissolved
the assembly, you don't want to hold any election. You have taken another
35,000 Army people there. You're creating another Palestine," he said.