PDP leader’s daughter describes Centre’s Kashmir move “undemocratic”
The daughter of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, Iltija Javed, has described the government’s move to scrap the special status assured to the people 0f Kashmir in the Indian constitution and to bifurcate the state into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh as “undemocratic”.
She has said that the move has indirectly reduced the people of state to second class citizens in their own state.
Her mother, as well as many of the political leaders from the state, is at present under the custody of the authority.
Last day, the bills seeking the aforesaid ones were passed in the upper house of the parliament.
The Congress, NCP, left parties and several other opposition parties opposed the bills. Even inside the ruling NDA, there was dissident voice. It was expressed by its close partner JD (U).
The bills were passed with an overwhelming majority with the support of the BJP, AIADMK, YSRCP, BJD and several other pro-ruling parties. The bill even received some unexpected support. It was from the AAP and BSP. Though the BSP’s case was not as unexpected as the AAP, no one expected that pro-left AAP would make this overturn. The AAP’s overturn was the biggest surprise the upper house witnessed last day.
The bills will be presented in the lower house of the parliament today. The bills are less likely to face any serious struggle in the lower house also, as in the Lok Sabha, the ruling BJP has a clear majority.
From what was seen in the lower house yesterday, it can be assumed that the opposition parties’ objection to the bills were minimal. It is felt as if the objection was raised only to create a feeling that the bills were not passed unopposed.
The argument that any decision on the state of Jammu and Kashmir should be taken with the consent of its citizens still holds water.
The coming days are very crucial.
Anyway, the BJP has scored a crucial point with the move. The move is expected to give an impressive political impetus to the Saffron party, whose main political promise during the latest General Election was the withdrawal of the controversial Article 370, which offers special status to the state.
Jammu and Kashmir is not an ordinary state. At the time of its joining to the Union of India, It offered it several promises. One of that was the Article 370.
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