The amended Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill — passed by the Lok Sabha today — will make room for representation of people who have had no voice for over 70 years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said. Responding to the debate on the bill in parliament, Mr Shah said the bills were about providing justice to those who were forced to leave their homes and live as refugees in various corners of the country.
The bill seeks to provide representation to “Kashmiri Migrants”, “Displaced Persons from Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir” and Scheduled Tribes Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
The other bill will amend Section 2 of the Reservation Act to change the nomenclature of “weak and under privileged classes (social castes)” to “other backward classes”.
“One of two bills on Jammu and Kashmir seeks to nominate two Kashmiri migrant community members, including a woman, to the assembly,” Mr Shah said, underscoring that he was happy that no one had objected to the essential provisions of the bill.
Contending that 45,000 people lost their lives due to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shah said, “Our focus is to end terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir… I believe the Modi govt will return to power in 2024 and by 2026 I hope there will be no terror incident in J-K,” he added.
“There is a difference between granting someone their rights, and granting someone their rights with dignity,” he said.
“The bill that I have brought pertains to bringing justice to and providing rights to those against whom injustice was done, who were insulted and 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,” he said.
