Lok Sabha passes J&K Reorganisation Bill

The Lok Sabha on Saturday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2021 with Union home minister of India Amit Shah promising the House that J&K will be granted statehood again but at “the appropriate time”.

Speaking in favour of the Bill, Amit Shah said the Opposition should not politicise J&K and Ladakh. “If you want a political fight, come in the ring and let’s compete. Nobody is scared. It J&K and Ladakh) is a sensitive part of our country. They have been hurt and have doubts. This House’s responsibility is to comfort them, not scrape their wounds.”

Citing results of the recently held DDC polls in J&K, the home minister said political parties who contested the election promising to bring back Article 370, have been wiped off by the people.

In August 2019, the central government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution under which J&K enjoyed certain special privileges. The government also brought in a bill that bifurcated the erstwhile state of J&K into two Union territories: J&K and Ladakh.

“I have said in this House and I say it again that this Bill has got nothing to do with the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. Statehood would be given to Jammu and Kashmir at an appropriate time,” Amit Shah said on Saturday, adding that the Bill nowhere says J&K will not get statehood.

What’s the bill about?

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in Parliament on Saturday to replace an ordinance to merge the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) cadre of civil services officers with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.

Introducing ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021’, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said the government was working to take Jammu and Kashmir on the path to development.

He said around 170 central laws are being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave a special status to the erstwhile state.