New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Lok Sabha on Saturday that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill has no relation with the state status and that Jammu and Kashmir will be given full state status at an appropriate time.
Asserting that “it will happen”, the Minister also requested the political parties and its leaders to understand the situation of the erstwhile state which was bifurcated into two Union Territories– J&k with a legislative and Ladakh without one.
“Jammu and Kashmir will be given statehood at an appropriate time…Please understand the situation of the Union Territory and avoid to give any speech that misguides the people of J&K,” Shah said while speaking in the Lok Sabha.
Delivering a speech to support the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to replace an ordinance to merge the Jammu and Kashmir cadre of civil services officers with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, the Minister clarified that the Bill has nothing to do with the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will give statehood. I have already said that it is a temporary system.”
On the opposition’s question about what happened in 17 months in J&K after withdrawal of Article 370, the Minister questioned “what about your 70 years rule, if your are asking about our work?.”
“They should first think about themselves before asking me this question.”
Giving account of the Central government’s work in Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said it had established Panchayati Raj in the Union Territory with 51.7 per cent voting without firing any single bullet. He later listed steps taken so far for the welfare of people in Jammu and Kashmir.
