Parliament proceedings | Azad in RS raises doubts over government’s intention to give full statehood to J&K

Questioning the ruling NDA on whether or not it wished everlasting UT standing for Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday batted for restoration of its statehood, saying improvement had halted, there was a rise in unemployment and industries had been closing, making survival troublesome in the area.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister stated, “I want to ask Home Minister Amit Shah if the present cadre was working well then what was the need to merge it? You had promised that the statehood will be restored….But bringing this bill creates suspicion that GoI wants to keep J&K permanently a union territory.”

Opposing the Statutory Resolution and Legislative Business (Bill for Consideration and Passing) – the Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill 2021 as the primary speaker, Mr. Azad stated it was maybe his final speech in the House and he didn’t need to use harsh language however opposite to the government’s tall guarantees behind changing J&K into U.T., improvement had been stalled, trade couldn’t enter and unemployment was on the rise.

Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy had earlier moved a movement for contemplating the invoice and a statutory decision on the draft legislation in Rajya Sabha.

The senior Congress chief stated Article 370 had solely two situations — outsiders couldn’t purchase land or work there which had been in place because the time of Raja Hari Singh.

Saying that solely small chunks of land had been there due to the area being mountainous and full of forests, he stated on scrapping of Article 370 many MPs had been elated to purchase land however he had advised them that land was too pricey there and “even I couldn’t afford to buy” it.

The earlier legislation ensured locals had jobs however now no new industries had been developing and even current corporations had been shutting operations, he stated, including seven districts out of 10 in Jammu province had no trade and no correct rail connectivity.

“No new industry is coming up at present… Of the 12,997 industries in Jammu, only 5,890 are functional, while 7,160 i.e. 60% are closed… development remains stalled… It is only on TV and not on roads,” he stated.

The situation of nationwide highways is dilapidated and ceasefire violations have risen inflicting extreme injury to land and property, he stated and added that water provide was in shambles, whereas energy tariff had risen abnormally to ₹ 350 per unit from ₹ 90 per unit.

Tourism had taken a toll on account of months-long curfew earlier after which due to COVID-19 pandemic, faculties, faculties and universities had been closed and no salaries had been being given to academics.

Had there been elected representatives they may have taken accountability and addressed the problems, he stated.

Drawing Home Minister Amit Shah’s consideration in direction of PhD and MPhil certified 3,000 academics, he stated they had been residing from hand to mouth, barely being given ₹ 3,000 a month and had been on probation for 7 years. He stated no the place does this occur.

“Give attention to such issues …probation happens for six months…Had there been Assembly they should have gone there with their plight but they are forced to come to me…they can’t afford milk for infants on such a meagre salary,” Mr. Azad stated.

He stated likewise 15,000 medical assistants and pharmacists had been jobless.

“Give statehood and conduct elections,” Mr. Azad demanded and stated it’s a border area and each the enemies — Pakistan and China — are sitting on our heads, and below the circumstance the federal government ought to try to win the hearts of locals and strengthen its arms.

He stated individuals of Kashmir had at all times been with India and recalled how Kashmiris, together with ladies and kids, resisted Pakistan’s bid to seize the area in 1948, until the Indian Army reached there.

Mr. Azad additionally stated that although it was Muslim-majority state, the chief remained largely Puuchos and urged the federal government not make “Kashmir a guinea pig for experiments.” While collaborating in the talk, BJP’s Dushyant Gautam stated that political events in the state had been exploiting the individuals below the guise of Article 370.

AIADMK’s A Navaneethakrishnan stated the state requires extra all India companies cadre officers to implement the event schemes in the Union Territory.

“It is for a good purpose … these amendments has been brought on. I welcome it and support this bill,” he stated, including that contemplating it’s a border state, with threats from Pakistan and China, J&K ought to stay below the direct management of the Union Government.

Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD wished to know whether or not the adjustments proposed below the invoice had been short-term or everlasting in nature. He additionally wished to know from the federal government whether or not there had been any enhance in contemporary recruitment in militancy in the valley after the change of J&K’s standing.

Ashok Siddharth of BSP additionally supported the invoice, nonetheless, stated earlier 50% of the state cadre KAS officers had been elevated to IAS cadre however after this, their elevation could be decreased to solely 33% and this needs to be regarded into.

Sushil Kumar Gupta of AAP stated the federal government ought to take steps to normalise the state of affairs in J&K and restore its full statehood as promised earlier.

Shamsher Singh Manhas of BJP stated UTs of J&K and Ladakh have a number of improvement schemes that are getting carried out.

“This is the only area where three AIIMS have been granted. One each for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. It has also got one IIT and IIM,” he stated, including a brand new ring street for Jammu can also be being constructed.