The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation and Reorganisation (Amendment) Bills were amended by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. These bills are of significant importance to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and the amendments made by the Lok Sabha are expected to have a considerable impact on the region’s political and social landscape.
After hours of debate in the parliament, the bills were passed by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill:
This bill reshapes the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2004, which provides reservation in jobs and admission of students in education institutions for higher studies. This is for the members who belong to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes of the society.
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill:
This bill redresses the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, the bill was rejected by the political parties of the Union Territories as Article 370 had been under the process of abrogation.
This bill offers one seat for the people of PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) and two seats for Kashmiri migrants in the UT’s legislative assembly. Along with this, it reserves seven seats for Scheduled Castes and nine seats for Scheduled Tribes.
The members will be selected by the Legislative Governor (L.G) for the Legislative Assembly.
Talking about the two bills, HM Minister Amit Shah said “The bill I have brought here is to give justice to those who were insulted, ignored and to those who suffered from injustice”.
People who belong to the deprived section must brought forward and promoted in such a way that is not disrespectful, said Shah.
However, the opposition parties tried to pin down the central govt (led by BJP) by accusing them of acting against the constitution’s spirit by conducting such kind of bills, which are directly related to the important dignity of Jammu and Kashmir.
They also slammed the Union govt for not conducting an assembly election. Also, issues like power, internet and unemployment were the points to target.
The TMC MP, Saugat Roy claimed on the abrogation Article 370 and converting Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
“Earlier Union Territories were converted into States but now the States are converted into Union Territory”, said the TMC’s MP against the changes made by the Home Minister.
To this, the Home Minister said that one country could never have two Prime Ministers, two constitutions and two flags at the same time.
“We have been saying this since 1950, ‘Ek Kisan, Ek Vidhaan aur Ek Pradhan’ as there can’t be two things in one place” replied Shah.
Coming to his speech at the assembly he stated about giving rights to the people belonging to the lower and weak sections of society.
“Giving rights and giving rights with respect, there is a slight difference between the two. Instead of calling weak and deprived section, renaming it as Other Backward Classes (OBC) is important”, said the Home Minister.
He added that instead of focusing on vote banks if the government could have killed the terrorism while it was rising, then the people didn’t have to leave their territory. Also, the blunders created by the former Prime Minister- for taking the issue of Kashmir to the United Nations made the Kashmiris suffer.
“Kashmir suffered because of Pandit Nehru’s Blunders”, said Amit Shah.
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