Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the statehood would be given to Jammu and Kashmir at an "appropriate" time. While replying to the discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill of 2021 in Lok Sabha, Shah said, "Many MPs said that bringing the bill means that the union territory would not get statehood. I am piloting the Bill, I brought it. I have clarified the intentions."
"Nowhere is it written that Jammu and Kashmir would not get the statehood. Where are you drawing the conclusion from? I have said in this House and I say it again that this Bill has got nothing to do with the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. Statehood would be given to the UT at an appropriate time," he added.
Continuing speaking in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said that the government has decided to resettle all displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the valley by 2022 along with creating 25,000 jobs for the people there and train connectivity to the region.
The Minister said that the government provides Rs 13,000 per month to the families of 44,000 Kashmiri Pandits who have relief cards.
"The government also provides free ration and has plans to settle them back in their houses in the Valley by 2022."
He also allayed apprehensions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir assuring that "no one will lose their land in the Union Territory" as the government has enough land for development work.
"The biggest hurdle in the industry in Jammu and Kashmir was that they did not get land if they wanted to set up any industry there. After the withdrawal of (Art)370, we changed the law of the land. Now the situation is such that the industries will be established inside Kashmir."
Earlier on Monday, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad reiterated the Congress party's demand to restore statehood status to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In August 2019, the Union Government abrogated Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Shah also slammed the Opposition and asked for an account of what they did in the past 70 years.
"I have no objection, I will give an account for everything. But those who were given the opportunity to govern for generations should look within if they are even fit to demand an account," the minister said.
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"We were asked what did we do about promises made during abrogation of Article 370. It has been 17 months since the abrogation and you are demanding an account for it. Did you bring the account of what you did for 70 years? Had you worked properly, you need not have asked us," he added.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced by the Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy in Rajya Sabha on February 4 to replace Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The new bill is aimed to merge the Jammu and Kashmir cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers with that of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory (AGMUT).
(With inputs from IANS)
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