Parliament nod to resolution abrogating Jammu and Kashmir's special status

New Delhi: Parliament on Tuesday approved a resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and a bill for splitting the state into two Union Territories.

The resolution was adopted by Lok Sabha with 351 members voting in its support and 72 against it, while one member abstained. The bill to create two UTs - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh - was passed by 370 votes in favour and 70 against. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House.

The resolution and the bill were approved by Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Replying to the debate on resolution for abrogating some provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah said that India will continue to claim the territories of Jammu and Kashmir under the occupation of Pakistan and ruled out any talks with separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference.

Shah also said the Modi government will have no hesitation in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir when normalcy returns.

"India will continue to claim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," he said.

Shah said Article 370 was creating doubts over Jammu and Kashmir's relations with India.

"This is not a historical blunder but we are rectifying the historical blunder," he said dismissing the opposition charges that the government was committing a mistake.

He also strongly refuted the suggestion that abrogation of Article 370 was "communal agenda" and said the provision in the Constitution was discriminatory and against the minorities, women and welfare of the people.

Ready to talk

The home minister also ruled out talks with the Hurriyat Conference.

"We don't want to talk to Hurriyat, but we ready to speak to people of Kashmir...," he said.

Shah said over 41,500 people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir due to militancy since 1989 and blamed the Article 370 and Article 35A for the problem.

Defending the government's action to put restrictions in Kashmir Valley in the last two days, the home minister said law and order situation there has not deteriorated and whatever actions have been taken were all precautionary.

The government had on Monday revoked some provisions of the Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and brought in a bill for splitting the state into two Union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, a bold and far- reaching decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of a region at the centre of protracted militancy .

Fulfilling an electoral promise of the BJP less than 90 days after the Modi 2.0 government took power, Shah had announced the decision in Rajya Sabha, which approved both the resolution and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation bill.

Shah later withdrew the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2019, in Lok Sabha, saying that the clauses incorporated in the legislation will automatically come into effect in the two new Union Territories. The Bill will also be withdrawn from Rajya Sabha.

After the resolution and the bill were adopted, Speaker Om Birla adjourned Lok Sabha sine die.

'New dawn awaits'

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the passage of bills on Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament as a "momentous occasion" in parliamentary democracy and said a new dawn awaits the state which is now free from the "shackles" of vested interest groups.

"Together we are, together we shall rise and together we will fulfil the dreams of 130 crore Indians! A momentous occasion in our Parliamentary democracy, where landmark bills pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir have been passed with overwhelming support!" he said in a series of tweets soon after the Lok Sabha passed the bills.

"For years, vested interest groups who believed in emotional blackmail, never cared for people's empowerment. J&K is now free from their shackles. A new dawn, better tomorrow awaits!" the prime minister said.

"Saluting sisters and brothers of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for their courage and resilience," he said, adding that the bills will ensure integration and empowerment of these regions.

'Abuse of executive power'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government on Tuesday of abusing its executive powers to "tear apart" the state of Jammu and Kashmir and said this would have serious implications on national security.

He also alleged that leaders of political parties in Kashmir were jailed at secret locations, which was "unconstitutional and undemocratic", and demanded their immediate release.

Gandhi said the move was "short-sighted and foolish" as it would allow terrorists to fill up the leadership vacuum created by the central government.

A day after the Centre revoked the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir and split the state into two Union territories, the Congress leader said national integration could not be furthered by unilaterally "tearing apart" the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"National integration isn't furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.

"This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security," he said on Twitter.

This was Gandhi's first comment since the government revoked the provisions of Article 370 on Monday to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status and proposed that the state be bifurcated into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Voices of dissent within Congress

However, a number of Congress leaders across the country have gone against the party's stand in Parliament on abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir by supporting the Centre's move and a bill to bifurcate the state.

The Congress has strongly opposed the move and the bill to bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

Going against the party's stand, senior Congress leaders Janardan Dwivedi, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Deepender Hooda have voiced support to the move.

In an embarrassment to the Congress, another leader Anil Shastri said the grand old party should sense the mood of the people before taking a stand, noting that they were with the government on this.

Dwivedi welcomed the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying even though it came late, a historical mistake had been corrected.

Scindia said he supported the move on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the state's full integration into the Union of India, adding that it was in the interest of the country.

"I support the move on #JammuAndKashmir & #Ladakh and its full integration into union of India.

"Would have been better if constitutional process had been followed. No questions could have been raised then. Nevertheless, this is in our country's interest and I support this," he said on Twitter.

Shastri also said on Twitter, "Congress must sense the mood of the people and then take a stand. The people are totally with the government on this issue. We opposed Mandal and lost UP and Bihar and should not risk now of losing India."

Hooda contended that the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir "is in the interest of national integrity".

Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora said it was "very unfortunate" that Article 370 was being converted into a "liberal vs conservative debate".

"Parties should put aside ideological fixations & debate what's best for India's sovereignty and federalism, peace in J&K, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits," he said in a tweet.

"Abolishing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution could well be dubbed Modi Sarkar 2.0's demonetisation moment.

"For the sake of peace and development in Jammu & Kashmir, I hope this decision plays out more favourably than demonetisation did," Deora noted.

Dwivedi said it was a matter of national satisfaction that a "mistake" made at the time of Independence was corrected.

He added that after Independence, many freedom fighters did not want Article 370 to remain in place and cited the example of Ram Manohar Lohia, under whom he had his political training and who was against Article 370.

"This is a matter of satisfaction for the nation. This historical mistake that happened at the time of Independence has been rectified today, even though late, and is welcomed," Dwivedi told PTI, while clarifying that his opinion was personal and he was not putting forward his party's view.

Congress's chief whip in the Rajya Sabha Bhubaneshwar Kalita quit his membership in the Upper House of Parliament over the issue after the party asked him to issue a whip to all members for opposing the bill.

Hooda said, "I have always maintained that Article 370 should be scrapped. It has no place in the 21st century. Abrogation of this Article is in the interest of national integrity and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. However, the onus of peaceful implementation of this transition in a trustworthy environment lies on the incumbent government."

Congress MLA from Rae Bareli Aditi Singh also said on Twitter, "United we stand! Jai Hind. #Article370."

When someone reminded her that she was a Congress leader, Singh replied back, saying, "Main ek Hindustani hoon (I am an Indian)."

She termed it a historic decision and urged people not to politicise it.

Singh's Assembly segment - Rae Bareli Sadar - is a part of UPA chairperson and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency.

Meanwhile, sources said the top Congress leadership was learnt to be peeved at the comments of the party's leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, questioning whether Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter as it was being monitored by the United Nations.

(With inputs from PTI)