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BIG STORY DECEMBER 22, 2023 | The Indian Eye 5

imously passed the Jammu and should now shift focus to liberating
Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
Bill, 2023, and Jammu and Kashmir “Now the only unfinished agenda
Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, in Jammu and Kashmir is the libera-
2023 with a voice vote, amending key tion of Pak-Occupied-Kashmir from
laws in the Union Territory aimed at the clutches of Pakistan. We are con-
providing “rights to those who faced fident that a strong India and a deter-
injustice”. Both the Bills were passed mined Government will be able to free
last week by the Lok Sabha. the POK soon,” the VHP leader said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Res- Earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul at-
ervation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is tacked the union home minister over
aimed at amending the Jammu and his critique of Jawaharlal Nehru
Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, which during a debate in the Rajya Sabha on
provides reservation in jobs and ad- two draft legislations concerning Jam-
mission to professional institutions to mu and Kashmir, saying that he was
members of Scheduled Castes (SCs), “unaware of history” and “has a habit
Scheduled Tribes (STs), and other of rewriting it”. Speaking to reporters
socially and educationally backward outside the Parliament, Rahul ac-
classes. The Jammu and Kashmir Re- cused the BJP-led government at the
organization (Amendment) Bill, 2023 Lawyers show copies of article 370 as they celebrate after the Supreme Court upheld the Centre of trying to distract attention
seeks to amend the 2019 Act and pro- Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 (ANI Photo/ Mohd. Zakir) from ‘real issues’.
vide representation in the Legislative Meanwhile, rejecting the state-
Assembly to the Kashmiri Migrants allowed duality, leading to confusion. 370 gave impetus to separatism which ment issued by the Organization of
and displaced persons from the PoK. Sadly, Jammu and Kashmir became led to terrorism,” he said, while reply- Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over the
It also proposes to nominate two a big victim of such a mindset,” PM ing to the debate in the Rajya Sabha Supreme Court judgment, uphold-
members from the Kashmiri migrant Modi wrote. on the two bills-- The Jammu and ing the Centre’s decision to revoke
community and one person repre- Union Home Minister Amit Kashmir Reorganization (Amend- Article 370 from the erstwhile state
senting the displaced persons from Shah on Monday said that Article 370, ment) Bill 2023 and The Jammu and of Jammu and Kashmir, Ministry of
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to which was abrogated by the Prime Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) External Affairs spokesperson Arin-
the Legislative Assembly once state- Minister Narendra Modi-led govern- Bill 2023-- which were passed by the dam Bagchi on Wednesday said it was
hood is restored to Jammu and Kash- ment in 2019, gave impetus to sepa- Lok Sabha on December 7. “ill-informed and ill-intended”.
mir. The amendment Bill also propos- ratism in Jammu and Kashmir which Welcoming the Supreme Court An official release quoting the
es to increase the number of seats in led to killings of several people. “We judgement on the revocation of Ar- MEA spokesperson on Wednesday
the legislative assembly to 90 from 83. should understand that 42,000 people ticle 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, stated, “India rejects the statement is-
Earlier, reacting to the Supreme were killed. Why were they killed? It the international working president of sued by the General Secretariat of the
Court’s decision to uphold the ab- is not a question of Hindus and Mus- Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Organization of Islamic Cooperation
rogation of Article 370, Solicitor lims. There are more Muslims in Gu- senior advocate, Alok Kumar, said (OIC) on a judgement of the Indian
General Tushar Mehta credited the jarat (than in Kashmir), and there are the landmark ruling would go down as Supreme Court. It is both ill-informed
development to the “iron will” of more Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar a tribute to saffron ideologue and the and ill-intended.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and and Assam states. Why did separatism founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, The response by the MEA
“brilliant strategy” of Home Minister not happen there? There is no ques- Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Kumar spokesperson came a day after the
Amit Shah. “It is only the iron will of tion of boundary either. Rajasthan said in a statement that with the OIC, on Tuesday, frowned on the
our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and Gujarat share their boundaries special constitutional privileges for apex court’s endorsement of the re-
and resolute decisiveness and brilliant with Pakistan too. Why it happened the erstwhile state under Article 370 vocation of Article 370, stating that it
strategy of our Home Minister Amit (only in J-K). (It was) because Article now consigned to history, the Centre “reiterates its call to reverse all illegal
Shahji that made this historical deci- and unilateral measures taken since
sion possible. The nation will ever re- 5 August 2019 aimed at changing the
main indebted to them,” said Tushar internationally recognized disputed
Mehta in a statement. status of the territory”.
Hailing the landmark ruling, up- Though the decision of the Su-
holding the revocation of Article 370 preme Court has been welcomed by
from Jammu and Kashmir, Prime the whole country, National Confer-
Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ence chief and former Chief Minister
said the verdict strengthened the spir- of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Ab-
it of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, dullah, when questioned about the
adding that the Articles 370 and 35A Supreme Court’s verdict on the abro-
deprived people in the erstwhile state gation of Article 370, said that Jammu
of rights enjoyed by fellow citizens and Kashmir should “go to hell.”
across the country. “Let Jammu and Kashmir go to
PM Modi stated further that the hell...They betrayed people. They want
region was subjected to the “worst to win people’s hearts. How’d you win
form of violence and instability” over that if you’d do such things to push
the last seven decades. “Unfortunate- people farther away?” Abdullah said
ly, due to centuries of colonization, on Tuesday while talking to reporters.
most notably economic and mental Abdullah’s opinion may not be
subjugation, we became a confused BJP workers celebrate after the Supreme Court constitutionally validated the removal of in sync with the country at large, but
society of sorts. Rather than taking a Article 370 outside BJP State Office in Mumbai on Monday (ANI) there is no denying the fact that the
clear position on very basic things, we issue of Article 370 is now history.

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