In Depth: Centre to bifurcate J&K; to scrap Article 370
As expected, today, the central government, which is led by the NDA, has initiated two significant moves related to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is at present in a disturbed state.
In the Indian parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah has moved a resolution seeking the removal of Article 370, which offers special status to the state of J&K. In addition, he has also tabled a bill seeking the bifurcation of the state of J&K into the Union Territory of Ladakh and the Union Territory of J&K.
The move is expected to attract severe opposition from the opposition parties in both the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) and the Lower House (Lok Sabha).
Ahead of the commencement of the parliament session, today, the political parties with the ruling and the parties with the opposition have conduced separate meetings in the parliament to discuss the developments in the region of J&K.
Last day, the centre increased the presence of security personals in the region, as they received credible information about possible terror attacks.
All political parties in the state of J&K recently unanimously expressed their disagreement against the centre’s intention to scrap the special status assured to the state at the time of merger of the state with the Indian Union.
A delegation of the J&K political parties even met the state governor to express the concerns of the political leaders of the state.
During the meeting, the delegation asked the centre to explain why all of sudden the presence of security personals was heightened in the region.
The NDA, the ruling party, has clear majority both in the Upper House, as well as in the Lower House. For that reason, they can easily sail the bill through both these house and turn them to law.
The opposition may use this as an opportunity to malign the image of the ruling. They may try all the possible ways.
It is good to remember that it is not wise to politicise the issue. The mere politicisation of the issue will only help the ruling to turn the situation in their favour.
To win this case, the social angle of the situation should be highlighted, not its political angel. The argument that any decision on the state of J&K should be taken with the consent of its own people still holds water. That should be projected. And, that should be put before the public platform for discussion. Let the public decide.
If the people of J&K genuinely wants their state bifurcated and their special status scraped, let them do it. Please don’t politicise it. But, it is totally unfair to impose an external will on them. Don’t you think so?
Vignesh. S. G
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
