The government on Monday sprang a surprise and pushed two resolutions — scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution and a Bill bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir — in the Rajya Sabha. BJP members chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ soon after the passage of the Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the debate on the Bills piloted by Home Minister Amit Shah. The Treasury Benches ensured that the focus of their debates remained on the long-pending agenda of the BJP and the RSS to abrogate Article 370.

In his introductory remarks and in the reply, Shah emphasised on the political and legal aspects of the resolutions. The Centre will consider giving full statehood back to J&K once the situation returns to normalcy, he said, adding that ‘three families’ were the main reason for the under-development of the State.

The Congress method

Reacting to the Opposition’s slamming of the move, Shah said they were just doing politics. He also criticised members who stormed to the well of the House, protesting the way the Bill and resolution were brought before the Upper House. “We are adopting the same path as adopted by the Congress in 1952 and 1962, by amending the provisions of Article 370 through a notification,” he said.

Senior BJP leaders such as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar participated in the debate. Sitharaman said the entire exercise was done after consultations.She expressed hope that the passage of the Bill will bring in more investors to the State and the indigenous people of the State will benefit from its enactment.

Javadekar said the Bill will end the deprivation faced by the people of the State. Quoting former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he said successive governments had made it clear during debates in the past that Article 370 would be temporary. “It took 70 years to revoke a temporary clause,” he said.

Minister of State in PMO and MP from J&K Jitendra Singh said Article 370 was a miscarriage of history and it was the greatest mistake done by the previous regime to the people of Kashmir. He said only Modi and Shah had the political will to revoke it. “The common man walking on the streets of Srinagar is rejoicing,” he said.

BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Congress is indulging in political opportunism while protesting. “They have nothing to do with the State and its people. The Congress has never taken the steps required to take the State and its people forward on the path of progress. You did not do anything for the State for the last 70 years,” he said.

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