The resolution to scrap Article 370 was passed following a day-long discussion in Rajya Sabha.
Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir was on Monday scrapped, along with Article 35 (A), as Rajya Sabha passed a momentous bill that bifurcates the state into two Union Territories in far-reaching decisions taken by the BJP-led central government executing a long-held saffron agenda.
A resolution removing the special status of the state under Article 370 was approved by the Rajya Sabha on Monday with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the constitutional provision was the "root cause of terrorism" in the state, and the Modi government was committed to making the state the most progressive in the country.
The Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature, was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favour and 61 against, and an NCP member abstained.
Replying to a debate on resolutions for repealing Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - Shah urged people to give the Narendra Modi government five years without Article 370 and compare it with the situation that prevailed during the 70 years under Article 370.
He also said Kashmir is the "crown" of India and would remain a "heaven" while claiming that the Modi government would take the state on a new path of development.
Earlier, the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday woke up to tight security amidst imposition of Section 144 in parts of the state. Prominent Kashmiri politicians like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, who were put under house arrest on Sunday night have now been detained and moved to a VVIP guest house in Srinagar.
Mobile internet was cut off from Sunday evening and currently all communication lines have been cut off. The security agencies are using satellite phones for communication. To prevent any untoward events, 40 companies of CRPF are stationed in Jammu and 100 companies in Srinagar.
Live Updates:
20:09 IST, Monday, 5 August 2019
Senior officials of Ministry of External Affairs are briefing envoys of several countries, including P5 (China, France, Russia, UK&US), on proposals related to Article 370 of Indian Constitution & administrative reorganization of J&K that were introduced in Parliament today.
19:00 IST, Monday, 5 August 2019
Rajya Sabha passes the resolution to scrap Article 370. The resolution was passed with the support of 125 members voting in its favour while 61 voted against it and 1 member abstained from voting. TMC MPs were not present during the voting. The strength of the House was 237.
18:40 IST, Monday, 5 August 2019
"Several MPs have asked how long will J&K remain a Union Territory — I want to assure them when the situation gets normal & the right time comes, we're ready to make J&K a state again. It may take a little longer, but it will become a state once again, one day", Amit Shah said.
Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha: Several MPs have asked how long will J&K remain a Union Territory- I want to assure them when situation gets normal & the right time comes, we're ready to make J&K a state again. It may take a little longer, but it will become a state once again, one day pic.twitter.com/obORN7lm4R
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
18:28 IST Monday, 5 August 2019
Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019, passed in Rajya Sabha. This Bill is to implement 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in Jammu and Kashmir.
Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha on Article 370:
Ghulam Nabi Azad said inter-state marriages are taking place. If a J&K girl marries a man from Odisha, will she & her child get any rights in J&K? You're happy that inter-state marriages are taking place, even though there is no law, but set them free, J&K will mix with India in true sense: Amit Shah.
You stand here in Parliament and say bloodshed will happen in Kashmir... what message are you sending to the valley? You want them to continue living in the 18th century system, don't people there have right to live in the 21st century? Those who provoke have kids studying in London and US: Amit Shah.
Jawaharlal Nehru Ji also said "370 ghiste-ghiste ghis jaayega", magar 370 ko itne jatan se sambhalke rakha, 70 saal hue, ghisi nahi. Everyone accepts it's a temporary provision, but can temporary continue for 70 years, when will it go, how will it go, asks Amit Shah.
Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha: I want to tell the people of J&K what damage 370 & 35A did to the state. It's because of these sections that democracy was never fully implemented, corruption increased in the state, that no development could take place pic.twitter.com/EtvHHQ6jRO
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
Article 370 revoked, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Also J&K divided into Ladakh and J&K.
Ghulam Nabi Azad,Congress in Rajya Sabha: Entire valley is under curfew, political leaders including three former chief ministers are under house arrest. There is a war like situation in the state, so this should be discussed on priority pic.twitter.com/pX2mbRKjV5
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
#WATCH Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/yzx4P6u8pv
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
Cabinet meeting ends, Amit Shah to address Rajya Sabha at 11 AM and Lok Sabha at 12 noon.
Opposition leaders are currently in a huddle in Parliament discussing their future strategy. They are meeting in Ghulam Nabi Azad's chambers.
BJP has issued a three-line whip for all MPs to be present in both houses of the Parliament till 7th August.
The crucial Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting has started.
According to sources in the government, there will be two back-to-back cabinet meetings — cabinet committee on security (CCS) and cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs (CCPA) at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 9.30 am.
ANI reports, " As decided by the Rajya Sabha Chairman, due to some urgent legislative business today, Zero Hour submissions will be taken up in the House today after the completions of Legislative Business listed for the day".
The Cabinet meeting is from 9.30 AM, but Amit Shah reached PM Modi's residence one hour early. Before that Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reached his house for consultation.
(With ANI inputs)
1. Situation normal in J&K, Doval likely to visit valley today
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After the government's historic move to scrap Article 370, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has been continuously monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). According to reports, so far everything is normal in the Valley as no law and order incident has been reported.
Meanwhile, Doval is also expected to visit Kashmir valley today along with other senior security officials to review the situation on the ground.
NSA Doval had earlier visited Srinagar in last week of July before the implementation of the decision to revoke Article 370 while on Sunday (August 4) he had a high-level meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah.
2. Oppn divided on government's decision on Article 370 in J&K
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On Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah while announcing one of the historic decision by the government of India, in Rajya Sabha said, "Jammu and Kashmir to be a union territory with legislature and Ladakh to be union territory without legislature."
With this, the Centre issued a notification on scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution that gives special status to J&K.
As soon as the government moved the notification, leaders of regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir including People Democratic Party (PDP)'s Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference's (NC) Omar Abdullah slammed it and said it's a betrayal to the people of J&K.
However, the government is getting mixed reactions from the opposition parties as some have supported the historic move while some are against it.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar did not directly oppose the move but said, "I think the government of India should have taken them (leaders of the valley) into confidence which unfortunately the govt didn't do. And then they should have taken the decision (to revoke 370)."
MDMK leader Vaiko in Rajya Sabha said, "I am opposing this Bill (Article 370). This is a day of shame, shame, shame...this is murder of democracy."
So far PDP, NC, MDMK, JD(U)-an ally of BJP in Bihar have directly opposed Modi's government's decision on scrapping Article 370 while Congress has criticised the move by the government.
Speaking on government's decision on Article 370, Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad said that today the BJP has murdered the constitution.
"Our chief Nitish Kumar is carrying forward the tradition of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia & George Fernandes. So our party is not supporting the Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha today. We have different thinking. We want that Article 370 should not be revoked," said KC Tyagi of the JD(U).
Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik's BJD, Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, AIADMK, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have supported the government's decision.
Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has expressed support to Centre's decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution assuring special status to the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) state.
Telugu Desam Party supports the Union Govt as it seeks to repeal Article 370. I pray for the peace and prosperity of the people of J&K.#Article370
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) August 5, 2019
Taking it to Twitter, party chief Chandrababu Naidu said, "Telugu Desam Party supports the Union government as it seeks to repeal Article 370. I pray for the peace and prosperity of the people of J&K."
Supporting government's decision on Article 370, BJD MP, Prasanna Acharya in Rajya Sabha said, "In real sense today, Jammu & Kashmir has become a part of India. My party supports this resolution. We are a regional party but for us nation is first."
Speaking on the government's decision, BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra in Rajya Sabha said, "Our party gives complete support. We want that the Bill be passed. Our party is not expressing any opposition to Article 370 Bill and the other Bill."
3. Security tightened; Army, Airforce put on high alert in J&K
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The Indian Army and Indian Air Force have been put on high alert after Centre moved a Bill in the Rajya Sabha on revoking of Article 370 and other decisions announced by Government of India.
Also, the security has been tightened in the Jammu and Kashmir as close to 8,000 paramilitary troops have been airlifted and moved in from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and other parts of the country to the Kashmir valley. Troops induction is still going on.
4. Omar Abdullah slams decision
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Statement of Omar Abdullah, Vice-President of National Conference and former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, on revoking of Article 370 and other decisions announced by Government of India. pic.twitter.com/L9RXggb10k
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019
5. Mehbooba Mufti's strong reaction
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What did J&K get for acceding to India? Another partition along communal lines? Our special status isn’t a gift bestowed upon us. Its a right guaranteed by the same parliament. A contract entered into by J&K leadership & India. Today the very same contract has been violated
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
The way some sections of media & civil society are celebrating these developments with glee is disgusting & disconcerting.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
6. Mistake of history corrected today: Cong's Janardan Dwivedi differs from party line
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Though the Congress party today opposed government's resolution to scrap Article 370, however, its leader Janardan Dwivedi said that a mistake of history has been corrected today.
Speaking after the resolution was passed in Rajya Sabha, Janardan Dwivedi said, "My political guru Ram Manohar Lohia ji was always against this Article. A mistake of history has been corrected today, albeit late."
