The Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address conveyed his desire for the restoration of statehood for Jammu & Kashmir. He told the House that he had already requested the government to present a bill in the House for the same.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad asked the government to present a bill in the House for the Statehood of Jammu & Kashmir and to conduct the legislative assembly elections only after the state regains its statehood.
He added, that the trust and compassion of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir can only be retained by providing the same status to the state again. Quoting the current scenario that outsiders can now buy and reside in estates of the State and hence has upset the locals. Outsiders are now free to work in the state which they were not allowed earlier.
This transition has allegedly destroyed and has had a catastrophic impact on the tourism industry. The locals primarily depended on tourism as a source of livelihood. Expressing his discontentment upon Jammu & Kashmir being converted into Union Territory now, he pointed out that militancy has grown now more than ever, developmental works have also reached an all-time low, and that the Law and Order situation has diminished about 100 times lower. He even pointed to the downgrading stature of colleges and levels and the diminishing healthcare facilities.
He brought the Parliament’s attention towards the sensitive border situation. He urged the government from taking any step that might upset the residents of border states like Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, etc.
He even quoted former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that India cannot take on fights with China and Pakistan on multiple fronts and hence we must take these border estates in full confidence with the nation.
However, the Leader of Opposition congratulated the Prime Minister and his government for imposing the long-standing Panchayati Raj system of governance in the estate.
Article 370 which provided special status to the state was revoked by the Indian Government and the whole state was divided into 2 union territories, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
After him, speaking from AIADMK A Navaneethakrishnan thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude for enacting the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Development Zone Act owing to the apprehensions depicted by the farmers in the Cauvery delta area. The act now prohibits any damage and harm to agriculture in the demarcated area.
