New Delhi [India]: Both the Houses of Parliament proceedings were adjourned on Tuesday till tomorrow at 11 am.
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha was debating the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023. It amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2004.
While replying to TMC MP Saugata Ray on J-K bills debate in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah countered him asking how can a country have two PMs, two constitutions and two flags?
“How can a country have two PMs, two constitutions and two flags? Those who did this, they did wrong. PM Modi corrected it. We have been saying since 1950 that there should be ‘Ek Pradhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan’ (One Prime Minister, one flag and one Constitution) in the country, and we did it,” Shah said in Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha member Sougata Ray remarked during the discussion on The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in Lok Sabha.
“Let me start with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir since Amit Shah took over as Home Minister. One of the major steps taken by him was to abrogate Article 370 and then convert the states of Jammu and Kashmir to Union Territories. First Jammu and Kashmir and second, Ladakh. Earlier, Union Territories were converted into States and here, Amit Shah converted the states into Union Territories. What have you achieved? he added.
“If there is no Legislative Assembly, then why are you making the changes? Have a Legislative Assembly and then make it. I don’t know what the hurry is; the hurry should be to hold the elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
“They abrogated Article 370 just to fulfil the BJP promise: ‘Ek Pradhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan’ (One Prime Minister, one flag and one Constitution). This was the slogan at the time of Shayama Prasad, this is not for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as this was a political statement and was his slogan,” he said.
The Act provides for reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socially and educationally backward classes.
The key features of the Bill comprise socially and educationally backward classes that include people residing in villages declared as socially and educationally backwards by the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir, people residing in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control and International Border, and weak and under-privileged classes (social castes), as notified.
The government may make inclusions or exclusions from the category of weak and under-privileged classes, on the recommendations of a Commission.
The Bill substitutes weak and under-privileged classes with other backward classes as declared by the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The definition of weak and underprivileged classes is deleted from the Act.
