Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his address in the Rajya Sabha. (RSTV screengrab)The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the statutory resolution for extending President’s rule in J&K by six months as well as a bill to provide reservation to people living in three borders areas of the state.
Presenting his arguments in the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre had no option but to extend President’s rule as the Election Commission intended to hold assembly polls in J&K towards the end of the year.
The resolution was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha, where Shah asserted that elections in the Valley would be held in a democratic, free and fair manner as soon as the dates are announced by the EC.
Rajya Sabha also cleared the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which provides people living along the International Border (IB) in J&K the benefits of reservation in direct recruitment, promotion and admission in professional courses on par with those living along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Parliament Monsoon Session: Follow HIGHLIGHTS here
Replying to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s on why simultaneous elections were not held in Kashmir, Shah said, “We don’t prefer ruling through president’s rule in J&K as you said, with God’s grace and Modi ji’s popularity we have enough state governments, 16 in total. So, it was due to security concerns that elections were not held.”
Shah blamed the Kashmir problem to the ceasefire by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when one-third of the state was still in Pakistani occupation and said “historical blunders” would always be debated.
Shah went on to ask why Nehru government went to the United Nations despite Kashmir’s assession to India and agree to hold plebiscite “that is in any case out of question today”.
Read | J&K polls to be held by Election Commission, Centre won’t interfere: Amit Shah
He also attacked Congress for misusing Article 35 by invoking the constitutional provision to dismiss state governments led by rival parties in the past.
Shah also advocated a new thinking to solve the Kashmir issue, saying the approach of the past 70 years had not yielded any result.
“We want development in the (Kashmir) Valley. But we will not tolerate any separatist movement and terrorism. Terrorists who do not want to join with India have no place in the government’s scheme of things. They will face severe action and difficulties,” he said.
Opposition urges to ‘keep the democracy alive’
Earlier, during the debate on the statutory resolution, Congress questioned why Assembly elections were not held earlier. Congress leader Viplove Thakur alleged that the Centre cited Amarnath Yatra and other religious activities as an excuse for not conducting the election.
“Keep democracy alive. Do not divide Jammu and Kashmir. Preserve the unity of this country,” she urged.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad had also accused the government of running the state from New Delhi under the garb of President’s rule.
Several opposition members supported the bill but raised similar concerns. Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien also questioned why elections were not held when the Prime Minister himself favours ‘one nation, one election’.
Supporting the bill, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh (JDU), Manoj Jha (RJD), Swapan Dasgupta (nominated) and Nazir Ahmed Laway (J&K PDP) also participated in the discussion.
