In a recent session on Tuesday, the Lok Sabha approved laws to extend the women’s reservation to the assemblies of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry. This move aligns with the women’s quota for Parliament and state assemblies, previously passed in a special session. However, the discussion on the bill turned into an opportunity for the opposition to push for early statehood and elections in J&K. Home Minister Amit Shah took offense to a TMC MP’s characterization of Ayodhya, Article 370 repeal, and the Uniform Civil Code as “communal.”
During the debate, TMC MP Saugata Roy criticized Supreme Court judgments on the abrogation of Article 370 and the Ayodhya issue, labeling BJP’s three-point agenda, including the Uniform Civil Code, as “communal.” Shah challenged this assertion, questioning if it implied that the Supreme Court was pursuing a communal agenda. He pointed out that the Uniform Civil Code was part of the Directive Principles established by the Constituent Assembly, including Jawaharlal Nehru.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury pressed the government to provide a timeline for reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin. He challenged the government to fulfill its claims before the Lok Sabha polls. Shah responded by questioning under whose tenure India lost Aksai Chin and PoK, highlighting historical perspectives.
Chowdhury also questioned Shah’s criticism of Nehru, citing BJP’s Shyama Prasad Mookherjee’s collaboration with the Muslim League in Bengal. Shah defended Mookherjee’s actions, stating that his efforts prevented Bengal from becoming part of Bangladesh. The exchange highlighted historical complexities and contrasting perspectives.
National Conference’s Hasnain Masoodi criticized the central government, accusing it of granting excessive powers to bureaucrats to govern J&K. He contested the government’s assertion of normalcy in J&K, emphasizing the need for elections. Opposition leaders, including Supriya Sule, NK Premachandran, Arvind Sawant, Kaushalendra Kumar, and Gurjeet Aujla, advocated for the early restoration of statehood to J&K and the conduct of assembly elections. Some members raised concerns about the house arrest of Kashmiri leaders, which MoS Rai denied.
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