Article 370, Article 35A, bifurcation: 10 points on all that transpired on Jammu and Kashmir in Rajya Sabha today

In a landmark day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, Home minister Amit Shah today announced in Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir would be split into two Union Territories.

The Centre today moved a resolution in the Parliament on Monday seeking the scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A from Indian Constitution. The government also moved a bill to bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Here are 10 developments on Jammu and Kashmir and Home minister Amit Shah’s speech in the Rajya Sabha:

1) Amit Shah has proposed scrapping of Article 370 from Indian Constitution. Article 370 is a ‘temporary provision’ which provides special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.

2) A bill proposing the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into 2 Union Territories has been moved in the Parliament. The Jammu and Kashmir division would be a UT with a legislation, Ladakh would not have a legislation.

3) During his address in the Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah said, “I am ready for all discussions by the leader of the Opposition, the entire opposition and the members of the ruling party over Kashmir issue. I am ready to answer all questions.”

Army personnel stand guard during restrictions, in Jammu. (PTI Photo)

4) The home minister said that the government had made the decision keeping in mind the prevailing internal security situation, cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

5) On naming Ladakh as a separate Union territory, Amit Shah said, “There has been a long pending demand of people of Ladakh, to give it the status of a Union Territory to enable them to realise their aspirations. The Union Territory of Ladakh will be without Legislature.”

6) Amit Shah’s announcement on a proposal to scrap Article 370 created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha. PDP leaders in the house Mir Fayaz, Nazir Ahmed Laway tried to tear the constitution and were physically removed from the House.

7) PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that today was the darkest day in Indian democracy and would have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent.

“Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises. People like us who placed faith in Parliament, the temple of democracy have been deceived,” Mufti tweeted.

8) A number of mainstream Jammu and Kashmir leaders are being kept on house arrest. Among those are former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Nationalist Conference leader Omar Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah.

9) The Centre had moved additional troops to Kashmir earlier this week. Section 144 CrPc had also been imposed in Srinagar.

10) Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lent their support to the government’s decision to scrap Article 370. “We want that the Bill be passed. Our party is not expressing any opposition to Article 370 Bill,” said BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra.

(Source: FE)

Ladakh is finally free after Article 370: Kashmir humiliated us and snatched our funds. We never wanted to be with them

The removal of Article 370 means Ladakh is finally free of Kashmir and can be a Union Territory. The Ladakhis are thrilled for this means real development, denied to us thus far by Kashmir.

The removal of Article 370 means Ladakh is finally free of Kashmir and can be a Union Territory. The Ladakhis are thrilled for this means real development, denied to us thus far by Kashmir.

We, the people of Ladakh, are extremely happy that Article 370 has been removed.

All of us in Ladakh, irrespective of which party we belong to, support this move by the BJP. All of us wanted that our hilly area be declared a union territory (UT).

Everything which was announced by Home Minister Amit Shah was fine — except for the fact that we wanted Ladakh to have UT status along with a legislature. Without a legislature, it will still be hard for us to frame our own rules but we will fight for it. We have now got freedom from Kashmir — perhaps people don't know this but our slogan has always been to free Ladakh from Kashmir.

De-link already: Huge agitations were organised for Ladakh to be free from Kashmir. (Photo: ANI)

Ever since India gained its independence, none of us in Ladakh wanted to be part of Kashmir.

We were made to go with a state which didn’t care about us — only themselves.

Even the politicians in J&K would always frame laws for the Valley. What would Ladakh get nothing? Not even an iota of development took place in our area simply because of us being part of Kashmir.

From day one of India's independence, it was totally against the wishes of the Ladakhi people that we were integrated with Kashmir. We continuously and vociferously opposed this move and an option was given to India that we be governed independently or let us alternatively be clubbed with East Punjab. Our leaders had given this option in writing to Jawaharlal Nehru — but unfortunately, nothing of that sort happened.

All of us in Ladakh led agitations to make our region into a UT. Now, we are not concerned with Kashmir — they will have to mind and mend their own business.

Politics in Ladakh is different from what is there in the entire country. Irrespective of which party you belong to, everyone here supports development. This is why I, being in the Congress, support the removal of Article 370.

I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for giving Ladakh our identity back.

Article 370 was a draconian provision which was primarily for the upkeep and maintenance of Kashmiris. There was no rules therein to protect the interests of the people living in Jammu or Ladakh.

In the last 70 years, the people of Ladakh have been faced thus with immense humiliation. Staying with Kashmir, at every level, we faced discrimination — when it came to allotments, employment, fund allocation, central government, whatever our people wanted to do couldn’t be done without the consent of the state.

Politicians in Kashmir blackmailed the centre to get extra benefits over there — which led to zero development in Ladakh. Here, instead, middlemen would simply run away with the funds allocated for us.

Welfare and development money never reached Ladakh as the funds would always stay in the Valley. All the development which has taken place in Ladakh today is only because of the army. They have made roads — and that’s what we have got.

Now, with Ladakh being a UT, new schools will come up, our kids will go to proper schools — I cannot adequately express the happiness at that thought. Central government will send funds straight to Ladakh and development will take place without anyone eyeing ways to take away our designated money.

From the very beginning, Article 370 should have been removed — this moment is in our favour.

(Source: Daily O)

After Article 370’s revocation, proud Ladakh MP delivers his speech in Parliament, says the only impact will be on two families

The BJP MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal had put an end to infamous critics of Article 370’s revocation by declaring that the only impact will be on ‘two families’ who would lose source of income, means of support as a result.

Namgyal narrated how Ladakh has been fighting constantly for a Union Territory status for the last 71 years and also highlighted how the region never wanted to be a part of Kashmir.

Take a look at the copy of Namgyal’s landmark speech in the Lok Sabha:

He then alleged uncontrolled discrimination against Ladakh at the hands of the Kashmiri set up especially when it came to education and job opportunities.

“You misused Article 370 to drive out Kashmiri Pandits from the valleys, you tied to finish off the Buddhist population in the state, is this your secularism?”, questioned Namgyal.

“Ladakh wishes to become an unbreakable part of India”, Namgyal had mentioned indicating the region’s strong support for scrapping Article 370 and then went on to thank all the supporters of the bill.

This speech drew a staggering response from Lok Sabha members including the Home Minister Amit Shah.

(Source: The Youth)