Restore J&K's statehood, says Oppn

New Delhi: The Congress, TMC and other parties on Monday alleged in Lok Sabha that the government has not been able to achieve the objectives it set out while abrogating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded the early restoration of statehood.

Speaking during the discussion on the budget for the Union Territory, members of the BJP, JD(U) and others, however, supported the Centre's efforts in accelerating development in the Union Territory. Opposition parties also accused the government of not doing enough for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

Congress leader Manish Tewari, who initiated the discussion, said that the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir was a cause of concern.

He said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated "extremely noble sentiments" in her budget speech for Jammu and Kashmir but "ground realities are different".

The Congress MP said that when the government abrogated Article 370 and divided Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, it put forward two arguments - that Kashmir's merging with India will be strengthened as the state will be emotionally integrated, and the development there would be speeded up.

The government had abrogated Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on August 5, 2019.

"Today 33 months have passed. Has the government been successful in achieving those objectives? I would like to state that the answer is no," he said, arguing that the situation is more sensitive than it was in 2019 while citing figures of ceasefire violations.

"Since April 2020, the situation in eastern Ladakh is extremely sensitive. The Chinese army is occupying those lands which India considers its own.

"The situation has become more complex now since 2020 because of factors such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Imran Khan's visit to Moscow, the agreement between Russia and China on February 4. All this impacts the border areas of India," he said.

The BJP on Monday dared the Congress to announce in Lok Sabha that it would restore Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir if it comes to power.

Intervening in the debate, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh dared the Congress to announce in Lok Sabha that it would restore Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir if it comes to power.

"Does the Congress party have the courage to say that it will restore Article 370 after coming to power...You don't say that. You want to beat about the bush and want to have it both ways," he said.

Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy said that Jammu and Kashmir budget was about bureaucratic expenditure and not about the development of the Union Territory.

He asserted that it was wrong to abrogate Article 370 and his party continues to oppose the decision "'which was in pursuance of a slogan of 'one nation, one symbol and one constitution' given by Jan Sangh leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee".

Roy demanded that elections should be held at the earliest in Jammu and Kashmir so that a popular and representative government could assume office. The law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir has not improved since the abrogation of Article 370, he said, recalling the recent killings of 'sarpanchs' by militants.

Supriya Sule (NCP) alleged that the government has not done anything for the displaced Kashmiris in the Budget.

"The government talks a lot about Kashmiri Pandits, but in its Budget document, there is no mention about them," she said adding "if you feel for them, please include them...let's not live only in a bubble, please deliver".

M S Reddy (YSRCP) said the Modi government has undertaken a lot of development works in Jammu and Kashmir.

JD (U) member Sunil Kumar Pintu said that the Budget will help in promoting the development of the union territory.

Danish Ali (BSP) also demanded the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) suggested an adequate Budget be allocated for dealing with floods in Jammu and Kashmir and the development of rural areas to promote tourism.