Historians will question silence over 40,000 killings: Dr Jitendra
Economy has collapsed: Cong
Sena MP targets ally Cong
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 18: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today that corruption has been effectively contained, transparency established in working of the administration including tendering process and democracy restored at grass-root level through successful Block Development Council (BDC) elections post August 5 in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The people of Kashmir are directly meeting the Home Minister of India, Lieutenant Governor and Advisors. They have direct access to New Delhi. These are some of the changes which have come in Jammu and Kashmir After August 5,” she said in response to queries by some Members who wanted to know what change has come in J&K after abrogation of Special Constitutional provisions of the erstwhile State and its bifurcation into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on August 5. Click here to watch video
Sitharaman was replying to debate on budget and Supplementary Grants of the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh in the Lok Sabha this evening.
“Adhir Ranjan Choudhary (the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha) wanted to know what changes have come in Jammu and Kashmir post August 5. There is no corruption now. Earlier, there was corruption and corruption only. Now, there is tendering process and complete transparency in functioning of the Government and the administration.
“Democracy has been restored at the grass root level with successful conduct of the BDC elections through 98 percent voting. We have shown that we can do it and we have done it by holding the elections,” the Finance Minister said.
Noting that only yesterday 15 businessmen met her along with Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh, she said they told us that they never has such an access earlier.
“Now they are directly coming to New Delhi. They are meeting the Home Minister. This is the change,” she said.
Referring to charges of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir made by some Members including Mohammad Bashir of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) from Kerala, Sitharaman said the worst carnage of Kashmiri Pandits took place in 1990 when they were driven out from their houses in the Valley and the Congress members didn’t utter a word about them.
“Don’t they (the Kashmiri Pandits) have human rights”? she asked.
On being interrupted by Congress MP and former Minister Manish Tewari that the migration of Kashmiri Pandits took place when there was VP Singh Government at the Centre supported by BJP and CPM, Sitharaman responded saying the BJP had withdrawn support to VP Government and immediately thereafter there was PV Narasimha Rao Government of the Congress.
“Why justice was not done with the Kashmiri Pandits thereafter. Your Government even didn’t institute an inquiry into the murders of Kashmiri Pandits,” she said.
Without naming Jammu Kashmiri Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik, the Finance Minister said the killer of Indian Air Force personnel was allowed to move scot free and it was the present Government which brought him to justice.
Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is now marching on the path of development, she said exports from the Union Territory have been on the rise, Start Ups are being promoted, three new Religious Circuits have been announced for the UT to promoted tourist and there are good GST collections. She added the Congress should support the Government to restore peace in J&K.
“The Government has given their due to Dalits, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women which was possible because of abrogation of Article 370,” she said, adding the Union Territory of Ladakh is also getting the focus it deserved.
Responding to concerns voiced by some members during the debate that budget and grants of Jammu and Kashmir should have been introduced in the J&K Assembly, a reference towards delay in holding elections to the UT Legislature, Sitharaman said this is not for the first time that J&K budget and Appropriation Bills are being moved in the Parliament.
She mentioned in details when budget and Appropriation Bills of Jammu and Kashmir were passed in the Parliament from 1990 to 1995.
“Then Jammu and Kashmir was a State, now it’s Union Territory,” she pointed out and said everything is being done as mandated by the Constitution.
After Sitharaman’s reply, the Lok Sabha approved over Rs 1-lakh crore Budget for Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21 with emphasis on the development of newly carved-out Union Territory.
Since the bifurcation (October 31), as many as 45 lakh beneficiaries have got Rs 1,705 crore disbursed through direct benefit transfers to their accounts directly during this financial year.
Sixty thousand new pension cases shall be covered through the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme in the coming financial year, she said.
“We intend to achieve 100 per cent coverage under individual beneficiary schemes, particularly under various scholarship schemes,” she said.
She also said 355 hectare shall be brought under high-density apple plantation, a new way of cultivating.
With this, farmers can earn three times more than what they have been earning from an apple orchard, she added.
With regard to the tourism development, the finance minister said three religious circuits have been announced in the Budget.
For tourism and culture sectors, an allocation of Rs 706 crore has been made for 2020-21, which is Rs 260 crore more than the previous year’s budget allocation, she said.
For improving the employment and skill development, she said that in the traditional jewellery sector, silver filigree works will be promoted apart from funding start-ups in the region.
In a hard hitting rebuttal, responding point-by-point to each of the issues raised by the Congress and other opposition members Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh cautioned that historians will question the silence over 40,000 killings during the last 30 years of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a 37 minutes intervention in LoK Sabha during debate on J&K budget and Supplementary Grants blended with poetry and anecdotes, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he sometimes feels surprised how easily tears are shed over the so-called plight of the members of two or three families who were in preventive detention in the recent months but not a single rear is shed for those 40,000 who got killed in militancy and who included persons from all sections.
“These 40,000 also were also sons and daughters of some parents and would also have been caretaker of their spouses and children, he said. Those who refuse to bemoan their killings may be exposing themselves to the accusation from future historians that they were part of a nexus and had a vested interest in articulating the case of a handful of dynasties, at the cost of the a larger interest of the society, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh came out heavily on those, both in polity as well as in media, who had misled the nation by saying that the internet had been suspended and created a hype on this issue simply to facilitate their regular 9 O’clock TV debate. The matter of fact, he said, is that barring very few areas, in most parts, the broadband internet and wi-fi internet were always functioning and it was only the “mobile” network which had been temporarily suspended.
He said, while most of the teaching institutions, offices and Shopping Malls today have wi-fi, it is the mobile network which comes handy for use of militants on the run to locate their coordinates. In this context, he also narrated two incidents, one from Lakhanpur and one from Batote, where the terrorists on chase were liquidated and prevented from carrying out a violent catastrophe simply because their mobile network was not functioning.
Amid uproar from the opposition Dr Jitendra Singh said, he can challenge anybody and prove that the last eight months since August 2019 have been the most peaceful interval of time compared to any equivalent interval of time in the preceding 30 years. All the National Conference and Congress members were up on their chairs when he further remarked cryptically that there was a section of opinion which believed that this peace had been possible because the potential trouble- makers had been put behind the bars.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, even though the Home Minister had reiterated that Union Territory will soon revert back to State, he wanted to say with all the confidence that the creation of UT was done with due diligence and thought.
He said , all this has been possible because of drive against corruption and pilferage through measures like e-tendering, GeM portal, Geo-tag of work, on-line billing cum payment etc.
Dr Jitendra Singh said while 50,000 jobs are coming and incentives for StartUps are in the offing, but there is however, no guarantee for the jobs for some of the politicians who are feeling unemployed.
He also referred to new upcoming projects including the Bamboo project in Jammu and first medicinal plant. There was again uproar in the house when Dr Jitendra Singh said that on the direction of the Prime Minister, 36 Union Ministers travelled to J&K in 15 days which was more than those who travelled to J&K during 10 year of rule of the UPA. With the holding of BDC election for the first time, he said, it it is Modi who had actually made the people of J&k realize what is meant by self rule and autonomy.
Targeting the Government over restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir since August last year, the Congress said the economy of the region has collapsed due to the measures and demanded immediate release of former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah.
Initiating discussion on the budgetary proposals and demand for grants for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Congress member Manish Tewari urged the government to “open ears” and “listen” to the voices of people as he claimed a “dangerous situation” is developing there.
He said that social peace is important for economic development of a place.
Tewari alleged that the decisions of August 5, 2019 to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and divide the state into Union territories, have demolished the economy.
He said that growth of key sectors, including agriculture and tourism, are declining. “It will be better if the budget for Jammu and Kashmir could have been discussed in the Assembly,” he said, adding the August decisions are a “tragedy” for these union territories.
Citing data of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said there was a loss of Rs 18,000 crore. “…USD 2.4 billion worth of economy was lost after the decision of August 5-6, 2019,” he said, adding agriculture sector has lost Rs 10,000 crore in last seven months.
Tewari said that tourist flow too has impacted as it was estimated that about 21 lakh tourists will come to Jammu and Kashmir but till July 2019, the figure was 5.21 lakh.
Over 5.6 lakh jobs are also impacted in the sector and about 50,000 jobs are hit in the carpet sector due to closure of restrictions on internet services.
Noting that maximum budget has been allotted to the home affairs department, he said, “…This is an unsustainable model, it will not work.”
On the abrogation of Article 370, he said the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court and “I expect a positive result from that”.
Tewari said that “one thing is clear” from these decisions that “the government want the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and not the people”.
He said that this decision was implemented by deploying additional 40,000 para military force personnel, detention of 5,161 people and imposition of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on 609 people.
He also said that although Lok Sabha member Farooq Abdullah has been released, two former chief ministers — Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah — are still under detention.
“I demand immediate release of two former chief ministers…PSA is completely unconstitutional and I condemn this action of the government,” he said.
He said internet closure of over five months in the union territories were relaxed only after the order of the Supreme Court on January 10.
However, he said the internet services have not yet resumed completely and only 2G services have been started. “We seek detail answer from the government on this,” he added.
Intervening, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that terrorists’ use internet to spread fear and threaten people.
Further Tewari said that now the Government seems to realise that the August decision was a “mistake”.
Participating on the discussion, Jagdambika Pal of the BJP said the decision has led to development of the Union Territories. He said that now no one can dare to hoist flag of Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.
He alleged that Pakistan approached against this decision to UN and the US taking “views of Rahul Gandhi (Congress)”, but they stated that it was India’s internal matter.
“Pakistan is now keeping quiet but Congress is still raising the issue,” he said, adding several projects worth crores of rupees are now under different stages of development in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Pal said bids are being sought for 13 airports and it will give a boost to the tourism sector.
He claimed that Delhi riots of last month were pre- planned and Pakistan’s ISI hand was also there and “you should be ashamed of this”.
A Raja of the DMK criticised the Government’s decision on Jammu and Kashmir. Concerns raised by Opposition parties on Jammu and Kashmir have not yet been resolved, he said.
“This budget discussion is just ceremonial and not in true spirit because we are not Kashmiris,” Raja said.
National Conference MP Hasnain Masoodi said the picture that was being presented of Jammu and Kashmir was quite different from the ground reality and made a plea to the Government that the situation in the union territory should be examined afresh.
“The picture that is being presented of this place (Jammu and Kashmir) is different from ground reality…I request that that situation there should be examined afresh,” he said.
Stating that tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir was suffering the most due to the internet blockade, Masoodi said that there was no arrangement for rehabilitation.
“They (BJP) say that the employment of around 70 per cent of the people in Jammu and Kashmir was dependent on agriculture. What is the kind of treatment which is being given to agriculture,” the MP questioned.
The handicraft industry, he said, was also affected. There should be dialogue with the stakeholders, Masoodi said.
He was of the view that the discussion of the budget for Jammu and Kashmir “should have been discussed in the State Assembly”.
BJP second-time Lok Sabha member from Jammu-Poonch constituency, Jugal Kishore Sharma said previously the development in Jammu and Kashmir was confined to two families (a reference towards Abdullahs and Muftis) but now under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the slogan of `Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikaas’ has been implemented in the Union Territory.
“Peace and development have started taking shape in Jammu and Kashmir after the Central Government ended special Constitutional provisions of the erstwhile State on August 5 and reorganized it into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh,” he said.
Sharma said stern action is now being taken against the militants and their supporters due to which militancy, Pakistan-sponsored infiltration and local recruitment of the militants has come down. Moreover, not a single civilian was killed post August 5 decisions of the Central Government, he asserted.
On development front, Sharma said 500 roads and bridges are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir besides the Centre has given two AIIMS, five Government medical Colleges, IIT, IIM etc to the UT.
The Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha MP said Urban Local Bodies were held in Jammu and Kashmir after 13 years, Panchayats after seven years and the Block Development Councils for the first time in the history of J&K.
Sharma also referred to Rs 80,000 crore worth Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) announced by Narendra Modi on November 7, 2015 under which Rs 62,000 crore have been sanctioned and Rs 30,000 released, leading to massive development in J&K.
Shiv Sena member accused the Congress, its ally in Maharashtra, of being a “silent spectator” when jawans were killed by terrorists and the national tricolour was burnt in Jammu and Kashmir.
Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena said the party was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the “bold step” of abrogating Article 370 provisions, which gave special status to the erstwhile state.
He said Article 370 abrogation had been a long-standing demand of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena.
He wondered as to why the Opposition never expressed pain and anguish over burning of the national tricolour.
“They didn’t express pain when jawans are killed…We will together say ‘Bharat Mata KI Jai’. We don’t require the ruling party’s permission to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’,” Sawant said.
Observing that the Government needs to build confidence, he said there is an urgent need to restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Allocation of 69 per cent of the budget on security reflects the fact that peace is still far.
It is against the democratic principles that the State Budget is being discussed in Parliament, Sawant added.
Echoing similar views, Supriya Sule of the NCP said that the Centre should make efforts to have an elected government in place as soon as possible and expressed hope that next Budget will be tabled in the Assembly.
With regard to investment in the state, she said funds flow only when people feel that they are safe and secure.
Intervening, Union MoS Home G Kishan Reddy rejected claims of opposition parties in Lok Sabha that Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into an “open jail”, asserting that the newly created union territory is open for tourists and shut for terrorists.
Reddy said the Modi Government wants the youth of the UT to hold the national tricolour and computers, instead of Pakistani flags and stones.
He said misinformation is being spread that Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into an “open jail”.
He said it is incorrect. “It is not an open jail. It is open for all today. It is open for tourists. It is shut for terrorists,” he said.
MP Jamyang T Namgyal said the Union Territory of Ladakh is moving towards development after the abrogation of Article 370.
“Before the abolition of Article 370 there was a sense of insecurity, discrimination and exclusion among the people of Ladakh…Now Ladakh is moving towards development,” the BJP MP from Ladakh said.
After the abolition of Article 370, he said, for the first time in the history, Ladakh was getting its right.
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