With many landmark decisions, 2019 a bustling year for MHA
New Delhi: This year has been important for the Ministry of Home Affairs with its landmark decisions, few are also contentious. Just two months after assuming charge of the third most important ministry of the government, Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah took the major historical move of abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and 35A of Constitution of India.
Shah, on August 5, announced in Rajya Sabha the decision to end the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories. Before this announcement, there was a massive deployment of troops in the Kashmir Valley, a complete clampdown on communication links and detention of hundreds of people, including three former chief ministers - Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
While landline phones and mobile networks were restored after several weeks, internet services still continue to be suspended and the three chief ministers incarcerated.
The home minister also had announced that it will end three-decades-long militancy, bring development and merge Jammu and Kashmir completely with the rest of India.
It not only ended up in conflict inside the country but international media also criticised the move, Pakistan appealed the United Nations with the help of China but in vain.
A few countries like Turkey and Malaysia also openly criticised India. However, France, Russia and the United States stood behind India saying it was an internal matter.
During the recent winter session of the Parliament, another contentious legislation, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), piloted by the MHA under Shah, got the approval of the Floor of the House. CAA also rocked the country with scattered protests at various parts and political crossovers - alleging discriminatory provisions, leading to the death of nearly two dozen people during these demonstrations.
According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
National Register of Citizens (NRC), machinery by the MHA was also created for detection and deportation of illegal immigrants in the state of Assam in August 2019. That also jolted the country, especially the North-East part. 'In-principle' approval was given to the Assam government for setting up of 1000 additional Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) and creation of e-FT platform (est. cost - Rs. 99 crores).
Besides, important legislations, National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019, Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 – aims to increase operational efficiency of SPG in ensuring the security of the Prime Minister, Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019, aiming to the administrative efficiency, better service delivery and effective implementation of both central and state government schemes, were passed in the Parliament.
The MHA took the crucial decision of withdrawing SPG security cover given to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka, 28 years after the elite force's continuous deployment, and replacing it with 'Z-plus' security of the CRPF.
Weeks later, Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was initiated by the Home Minister Amit Shah and was passed by Parliament and it mandated the SPG to guard only the Prime Minister, his or her immediate family members if they live with him or her.
MHA aslo initiated another law which got the approval of Parliament under which an individual could be declared as terrorist by the government. The home ministry also released a new map of India depicting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while Gilgit-Baltistan is in the UT of Ladakh and within the geographical boundary of India.
In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a dedicated corridor connecting Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab with Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara in Pakistan.
