Congress protested strongly when Amit Shah blamed Nehru for the Partition as “one-third of Jammu and Kashmir is not in our control”
Caravan News
NEW DELHI — Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday moved a statutory resolution in the Lok Sabha to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a period of six months.
Moving the resolution, he said since the state assembly has been dissolved and the Election Commission has decided to hold fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir later this year, it is essential that the President’s Rule be extended for another six months with effect from July 3, 2019. Shah undertook a two-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and Thursday.
During the debate on the bill to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir Amit Shah’s question “who is responsible for partition,” triggered a huge row in parliament on Friday. The fierce arguments over the bill also touched the question of Partition of the country and Article 356 under which president’s rule can be extended in a state.
In a direct and scathing attack on Congress Amit Shah said it was not the BJP but the Congress who used Article 356 as a political tool to dismiss the existing government in the state.
We used Article 356 to enforce President’s rule was “under special circumstances.”
Article 356 has been used 132 times. Of those 132 times, 93 times it was used by the Congress, Shah said, adding, “now they will teach us how 356 should be used?” which triggered loud protests.
But the Congress, which is against the bill, was outraged when Mr Shah while responding to the debate, said: “Manish Tiwari is raising questions on partition today. I want to ask him a question. Who is responsible for partition? Today, one-third of Jammu and Kashmir is not in our control. Who is responsible for that?” Then he went onto say Jawaharlal Nehru had declared ceasefire when the Indian force had pushed Pakistan’s troops to a corner, reports NDTV.
Amid screams of protest from Congress members over the name of Jawaharlal Nehru being drawn into the debate, Mr Shah said, “Okay, if the mention of a name causes such pain, I shall henceforth refer to him as the first Prime Minister of the country”.
Manish Tewari, who was among the Congress speakers, had suggested that Jammu and Kashmir had to be placed under President’s Rule because of the BJP’s “incompatible” alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party.
“Today the situation is such that we have to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for every six months. Its roots are in the incompatible alliance of PDP and BJP in 2015,” Manish Tewari said.
In his concluding speech, Shah defended the proposal to extend president’s rule in the state on the grounds of the security situation.
Lok Sabha passes Resolution
The Lok Sabha, however, passed the Jammu & Kashmir (Reservation) Bill and a statutory resolution to extend President’s rule in Jammu & Kashmir by another six months.
“The Election Commission will take a call on when to hold polls. We will not delay a second in its conduct the moment EC announces it,” Shah said.
Earlier this month, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the extension of President’s rule on the grounds of the prevailing situation in the state considering the report of the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
The period of six months is with effect from 3 July next week.
(With media inputs)