Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Monday, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) whether it wanted permanent UT status for Jammu and Kashmir and categorically stated that survival has become difficult in the region as development has come to a halt.
Leader of the Opposition’s outburst came as Rajya Sabha cleared The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021, that seeks to replace the ordinance to merge the Jammu and Kashmir cadre of civil services officer with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
“I want to ask Home Minister Amit Shah if the present cadre was working well then what was the need to merge it? You had promised that the statehood will be restored...But bringing this bill creates suspicion that GoI (Government of India) wants to keep J&K permanently a union territory,” he said.
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Batting for the restoration of statehood, Azad pointed out that there has been an increase in unemployment and industries are being closed down.
“The earlier law ensured locals had jobs but now no new industries were coming up and even existing firms were shutting operations,” he said and drew attention to the fact that seven districts out of 10 in Jammu province had no industry and no proper rail connectivity.
Rajya Sabha on Monday cleared The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, which was introduced in the Upper House of the Parliament last week.
Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said the Constitution of India is now fully applicable on Jammu and Kashmir, and around 170 central laws are being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.