Centre Reserves Seats For Kashmiri Pandits, PoK Refugee In J&K Assembly; Bills Passed In Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister today tabled two bills - Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023- related to Kashmir in the Lok Sabha today and said that one of the bills seeks to nominate two Kashmiri Migrant community members, including a woman, and reserve one seat for people displaced from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. This comes amid the demand from the Kashmir-based political parties to hold early elections in the Union Territory. Both the bill were passed by the Lok Sabha after debate. 

Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2004 while Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019.

"J&K bill seeks to give representation in assembly to those who had to leave Kashmir due to terrorism...One of 2 bills on Jammu and Kashmir seeks to nominate two Kashmiri Migrant community members, including a woman, to assembly. One seat in Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be reserved for people displaced from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," said Shah in the Lok Sabha.

The Union Home Minister said that the 2 bills related to Jammu and Kashmir will give justice to those deprived of their rights for last 70 years. Attacking opposition parties, Shah said had terrorism been tackled at beginning without considering vote-bank politics, Kashmiri Pandits wouldn't have had to leave valley.

Slamming Congress, Shah said that the grand old party has done greatest harm to Other Backward Classes while PM Narendra Modi has been working relentlessly for welfare of backward classes.

"The Bill that I have brought here pertains to bringing justice to and providing rights to those against whom injustice was done, who were insulted and those who were ignored. In any society, those who are deprived should be brought forward. That is the basic sense of the Constitution of India. But they have to be brought forward in a way that doesn't reduce their respect. There is a huge difference between giving rights and giving rights respectfully. So, instead of weak and deprived category renaming it to Other Backward Class is important," said Shah.

Shah said that the Jammu and Kashmir has suffered due to 2 blunders committed by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru - first announcing ceasefire and then taking Kashmir issue to UN. He said that the Modi government aims to end terrorist from the Union Territory. "I believe Modi govt will return to power in 2024 and by 2026 I hope there will be no terror incident in J-K," said Shah.