NEW DELHI : In a major Constitutional step, the Modi Government on Monday tabled a statutory resolution in the Rajya Sabha, seeking abrogation of Article 370 (3).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that no change has been made in the Article 370A but the rest of the subsections of the Article 370(3) have been proposed for amendment.
Mr Shah introduced Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 amid uproar.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the people of Kashmir has always associated with the national mainstream and Article 370 was an instrument for that.
He said ”Lakhs of people in Kashmir still believe that the region is integral part of India. Whenever, the call came, the people of Jammu and Kashmir stood by the country and made sacrifices.”
“I strongly condemn the act of two or three members of the party,” Mr Azad said without naming PDP members in reference to the conduct Nazir Ahmed and Mir Mohammad Fayaz.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked both the PDP members to leave the House for trying to create ruckus and bringing ‘dis-repute’ to Constitution of India.
Participating in the debate, Shiv Sena member Sanjay Raut and Nominated member Swapan Dasgupta welcomed the government decision.
Mr Shah also moved a bill to provide status of Union Territory to Ladakh and a separate Union Territory for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Home Minister said Ladakh will get status of Union Territory without Legislature.
He said the “existing state of Jammu and Kashmir will be a separate Union Territory” with an Assembly.
Mr Shah said “There has been a long-pending demanding of people of Ladakh, to give it the status of a Union Territory to enable them to realise their aspirations.”
”The Ladakh Division of the State of Jammu and Kashmir has a large area but is sparsely populated with a difficult terrain.
”There has been along pending demand of people of Ladakh, to give it the status of a Union Territory to enable them to realise their aspiration.
”The Union Territory of Ladakh will be without Legislature,” he said.
Further, keeping in view the prevailing internal security situation, fuelled by cross border terrorism in the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir, a separate Union Territory for Jammu and Kashmir is being created. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be with legislature.
Amid opposition uproar, Mr Shah moved a resolution Article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir will be revoked.
In the Lok Sabha, the issue figured prominently as the House took up the ‘Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.
Opposition parties including Congress, DMK and Trinamool Congress trooped into the Well of the Lower House raising anti-government slogans.
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But today, the BJP has murdered the Constitution,he said.
Replying to Mr Azad, the Home Minister said “These Bills are also historic and they will create history. He also charged that the only three families have looted Kashmir for all these years. “We don’t want to make vote bank or politics. Narendra Modi government is for development,” he said.
“The nation wants to know why the children of Pandits are not considered Kashmiris, he said. He also appealed the members to take part in a discussion on the Bill.
(AGENCIES)
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