J&K Admn to take call on restoration of Internet
*Azad takes dig at HM’s reply
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today charged the neighbouring country Pakistan, albeit without naming it, with still being engaged in mischief and declared that when it comes to security of Jammu and Kashmir and for waging war against terrorism, India has to fix its priorities.
Replying to series of questions in the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said the local administration in the Union Territory will take call on resumption of Internet services, which remained suspended in the entire UT (excepting broadband services in Jammu province) since August 5 when the Central Government had abrogated special Constitutional provisions of J&K and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
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“The neighbouring country (a reference towards Pakistan) is still doing some mischief. And, when it comes to the security of Jammu and Kashmir and for waging war against terrorism, we have to fix our priorities,’’ the Home Minister said.
He added that as far as restoration of mobile Internet services was concerned in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, an appropriate decision will be taken on recommendations of the local administration.
Asserting that Internet is important in the present day world and it should be restored as early as possible, Shah said it is an effective means of communication. At the same time, he reminded the Opposition members that it was the BJP Government in 2002 (headed by late Atal Behari Vajpayee) which started Internet services in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002 and mobile services in 2003.
Opposition parties, it may be mentioned, had been targeting the Central and Union Territory Governments of Jammu and Kashmir for ban on mobile Internet services across the UT for more three and half months.
Shah said that total normalcy was prevailing in Kashmir with Governments offices and educational institutions functioning fully and asserted that not a single person has died in police firing since August 5.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 are prevalent only in certain areas from 8 pm to 6 am in the Valley, he said.
He said Government offices, educational institutes, courts, health centres, banks and media outlets are functioning fully in the Kashmir valley.
To a supplementary on how much more time would be needed to bring normalcy in Kashmir, Shah said: “The situation there was always normal. There were many notions spread all over the world. There is total normalcy prevailing. After August 5, not a single person has died in police firing although many feared there would be bloodshed and more number of killings.”
All restrictions imposed in Kashmir have been successful. Stone pelting incidents have come down to 544 so far in 2019 from 802 incidents in 2018, he said.
Highlighting the normal functioning of life in Kashmir, Shah said Urdu and English dailies and all TV channels are functioning and circulation of newspapers has increased.
Courts are also functioning fully. They have heard 36,192 cases and delivered orders in as many as 500 cases, he said, adding that even the Block Development Council elections were held peacefully and successfully.
He further said as many as 20,114 schools have opened. Out of 50,537 students, 50,272 students comprising 99.48 per cent appeared for exams.
About 99.7 per cent of students have given Class 9th and 10th exams.
Hospitals are also functioning and the number of people visiting the Out Patient Department (OPD) has increased in Srinagar, he said, adding good quantity of medicines are being made available in the Valley and there is no shortage.
Mobile vans and vending machines were also made available.
“If anyone has information that a particular person in a remote area is not getting medical facility, they can contact me directly. I will get it done in 24 hours,” Shah said.
The sale of LPG, kerosene and rice has also gone up by 8-16 per cent in the last 10 years, he added.
To protect apple growers, Shah said the Government has made all arrangements for sale of the fruit.
Cooperative NAFED has so far procured about 6,000 tones of apples from Kashmir.
Apple production is estimated to be 22.58 lakh tones this year and the Government is facilitating traders for sale of the fruit, he added.
In another significant statement in the Rajya Sabha, the Home Minister said the NRC process will be carried out across India, making it clear that there would be no discrimination on the basis of religion.
Shah said the Government accepts that refugees – Hindu, Buddhists, Jain, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis – who left Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious atrocities should get Indian citizenship.
“The process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be carried out across the country. No one irrespective of their religion should be worried. It is just a process to get everyone under the NRC,” he said.
Shah said there is no provision in NRC that people belonging to other religions will not be included in the register.
“People from all religions who are Indian citizens will be included. There is no question of any discrimination on the basis of religion. NRC is a different process and the Citizenship Amendment Bill is different,” Shah said.
He reiterated that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list.
The Home Minister said the Government accepts that Hindu refugees, Buddhists, Jain, Christians and Sikh and Parsi should get this country’s citizenship and this is why the Citizenship Amendment Bill is there.
“All refugees coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan on account of religious atrocities will get citizenship under the Bill,” he said.
He said Lok Sabha had passed the Bill and the Select Committee had approved it but Lok Sabha had lapsed.
“Now it will come again. It has no connection with the NRC,” he said.
As the Home Minister gave out figures supporting normalcy in the Valley, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “It looks like the Home Minister is referring to the report of some other State.”
When Opposition members objected to the Chair giving more time to the Home Minister to reply on Kashmir during the Question Hour, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said, “It is a national security issue”.
The Home Minister said, “there can be a discussion on this matter for an hour.”
The Opposition insisted that there should be a debate on the matter, to which Naidu said, “It will be done’’.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Rajya Sabha member Nazir Ahmed Laway had given the Call Attention Notice in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 180 of the Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha seeking statement of the Union Home Minister on present political situation in Kashmir particularly post abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, the measures to be taken by the Government on upholding the democratic principles in the Union Territory, the plan of Government to release political detainees in Kashmir valley, restoration of internet facility and opening of schools, colleges and Universities.
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