Parliament proceedings | Article 370: BJP, Opposition regarding incidents in Jammu and Kashmir

The discussion on supplementary demands in the Lok Sabha for Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry became the focus of intense debate between the ruling BJP and the opposition on the events that took place in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019, which is about Article 370.

National Conference MP Hassain Masood called it as a fire to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reduce its position in the Union Territory, which was lit by the current government and the results of which were still unfolding. He called the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir a referendum on the move and pointed out that the BJP had got only 3% votes in the elections.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while replying to the allegation, said that the DDC is not a referendum but a demonstration of the faith of the people of the union territory in the democratic institutions and the administration’s ability to maintain law and order. “Voters turned out in large numbers in the DDC elections, with a voter turnout of 51% in these polls, not only in urban areas but also in rural areas. It is a sign of the trust that people have in democratic institutions and law and order.

The BJP’s Jamang Tsering Namgyal called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “yugaapurusha” for realizing the dream of ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who opposed the granting of special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Initiating the discussion, Anamula Revanth Reddy (Congress) said that the ‘firing’ incidents in the Union Territory have reached their highest levels in the last 16 years and slapped on the government to write criminal cases on local journalists severely. Accused of killing.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that apart from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Jana Sangh, BR Ambedkar was opposed to Article 370. This was only a temporary provision.

Saugat Ray of TMC said that the politics of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored and alleged that peace was not brought in the valley as the government had promised. He said that neither Kashmiri Pandits have been rehabilitated in Kashmir nor tourism has been restored.

She also criticized the role of former Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi of Puducherry, saying that she often fought the elected government.

Puducherry’s budget was also part of the debate.

BJD’s Bhartrihari Mahtab said he was looking forward to the day when Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been given state status and supported the government’s measures to bring normalcy there. Stating that the two Lok Sabha seats are reserved for the territory controlled by Pakistan, he said the issue remains an “unfinished agenda”.