Article 370 to be abolished, J&K to recognised as Union Territory (UT), Ladakh to be a separate UT.
Union Home minister, Amit Shah has proposed to Rajya Sabha to repeal article 370 from Indian constitutions also he added that the state will now be recognized as a Union Territory. The territory will have a legislature.
Constitution(application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 2019 pic.twitter.com/ueZWl8VU59
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
Further Laddkh will be a separate Union Territory, without a legislature. Officially the sparse population and remote location have been given as the reason
HM Amit Shah: Jammu and Kashmir to be a union territory with legislature and Ladakh to be union territory without legislature pic.twitter.com/nsEL5Lr15h
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
The said provision of the Indian constitution gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, making it impossible for rest of Indian to buy and hold property in the state. The provision has been long contented by ruling BJP as one stopping the states integration with rest of India since its merger with the Union on 26 October 1947.
The provision was instituted into the constitution to preserve ethnic Kashmiri culture and has a widespread support of the extremists within the Srinagar Valley. However Laddhkh and Jammu support repeal of the said provisions.
Bahujan Samaj Party has already extended its support to the bill. Satish Chandra Mishra, BSP’s member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha said “Our party gives complete support. We want that the Bill be passed
Satish Chandra Mishra, BSP MP, in Rajya Sabha: Our party gives complete support. We want that the Bill be passed. Our party is not expressing any opposition to Article 370 Bill & the other Bill. pic.twitter.com/ajRNKwsUlf
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
However, soon after the announcement, PDP’s Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway were asked to go out of the house(Rajya Sabha) after they attempted to tear the constitution.
According to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, PDP’s Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway were asked to go out of the house(Rajya Sabha) after they attempted to tear the constitution pic.twitter.com/oOEI1MpFld
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
In preparation for the announcements, Jammu and Kashmir is under an iron clad security cover with prohibitory orders in place for most of the state, internet shutdown and mobile services disruspted. Political leaders from state – across political spectrum have been placed under house arrest and all educational institutes have been shut down. Last week all tourists, students from other states were shunted out in State Road Transportations buses and flights.
The current build started in last week of last month with deployment of over 100 additional companies of paramilitaries mostly from CRPF.
While the foregone conclusion that this is a ‘big move’ by BJP govenrment in Delhi, there have been rumours that govenrment may abolish Article 35A or atricle 371 of Indian constitution that together define and grant Kashmir a ‘special status’.
There have been long queues outside petrol pumps and retail shops as people are stock piling essential supplies.
