Lok Sabha passes J&K Reorganisation, Reservation (Amendment) Bills

Srinagar, Dec 06: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill seeks to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the legislative assembly.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill seeks to change the nomenclature of a section of people who are eligible for quota in appointment and admission.

The bills, which were moved in the Lok Sabha by Union Home Minister on Tuesday were passed after hours of debate spanning over two days.

Speaking on two Bills in the Lok Sabha, Shah said, “The Bill that I have brought here pertains to bringing justice to and providing rights to those against whom injustice was done, who were insulted and those who were ignored.”

He said that in any society, those who are deprived should be brought forward and that is the basic sense of the Constitution of India.

“But they have to be brought forward in a way that doesn’t reduce their respect. There is a huge difference between giving rights and giving rights respectfully. So, instead of a weak and deprived category, renaming it to Other Backward Class (OBC) is important,” the Minister said.

He said that Jammu and Kashmir has suffered due to two blunders committed by the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru - first announcing ceasefire and then taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations.

"Had Jawaharlal Nehru taken right steps, PoK would have been part of India now. It was a historic blunder," he said.