New Delhi, Aug 5 What's common between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his illustrious 'BJP predecessor' Atal Bihari Vajpayee?
Both have struck with their sharpest possible arsenal in completely unexpected hours.
In 1998, the then Prime Minister Vajpayee had announced multiple nuclear tests at Pokhran surprising both friends and foes, and similarly incumbent PM Modi stuck to his decision on August 5 and abolished the Article 370 - that ensured a unique and special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The move today fulfills one of the major electoral promises of the BJP.
In its manifesto - Sankalp Patra - released on April 8 (for Lok Sabha polls), the BJP had pledged - ''We reiterate our position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370. We are committed to annulling Article 35A of the Constitution of India as the provision is discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir".
Abrogation of the Article 370 has been one the contentious issues besides Ram Temple at Ayodhya and Uniform Civil Code highlighted by the BJP but were kept at back burner during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure.
PM Modi and his Home Minister Amit Shah worked hard on the path-breaking move and to specific plans including ensuring deployment of additional forces and finally brought a resolution seeking to make Article 370 'inoperative' and also introduced a Bill that will create a Union Territory for Ladakh region.
The announcement by Home Minister Shah follows days of uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir after the state Home Department had ordered tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to leave immediately.
BJP general secretary Ram Radhav, who held parleys with PDP for forming the alliance government from 2015 to 2018, said the the entire country is celebrating the "birth of a United India".
"Jammu and Ladakh regions are celebrating. People of Kashmir valley too will see the reason and welcome the decision. Heavens are not going to fall in the valley as Opposition is claiming," Mr Madhav tweeted.
The government Bill would also seek to designate 'Kashmir and Jammu' region as part of a new union territory and thus deprive J&K its previous statehood status.
There was jubilation in BJP party offices across the country and party leaders and union ministers took to social network to hail the government move as being 'historic'.
Union Minister Smriti Irani tweeted saying: "Historic day for India. Gratitude to PM Narendra Modi ji and
Amit Shah ji for fulfilling promise made to the Nation".
"A testimony to National Integration and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, today marks beginning of a new era for J&K - an era of opportunities and prosperity".
The Amethi unit of BJP celebrated the occasion.
Ms Irani had earlier this year wrested Amethi parliamentary constituency from Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
"The scrapping of Article 370 is an occasion of pride and joy for the country," a tweet from the BJP Amethi unit said.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the new initiative will give Kashmiris all opportunities for development at par with rest of India.
RSS, the ideological guide of the BJP, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad welcomed the government move.
"The decision will help Jammu and Kashmir and also take the entire country towards development," the VHP said in a statement.
''Everyone should welcome this notwithstanding any personal interests or political differences, '' said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in a tweet.
Article 370 abolished: Modi Govt gets pat from Sangh; J&K loses 'state' status
New Delhi, Aug 5
Known for pushing the muscular brand of nationalism, the Modi government on Monday fulfilled a long time held pledge of the Hindutva school of thought and took a major step and abolished the special status given to militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.
The government also moved a bill proposing to divide the 'state of Jammu and Kashmir' into two regions and sought to deprive J&K the statehood status and make 'Kashmir and Jammu region' as a new Union Territory with a legislature.
The government issued a presidential decree which said that the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be henceforth called ''Legislative Assembly of the State''.
A Law Ministry notification under the title 'The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) order, 2019, said that any references to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shall be construed as including references to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of Council of Ministers.
The government bill also proposed to give UT status to Ladakh - with no legislature.It goes without saying that the BJP’s political growth as reflected in 2019 general elections is also linked to a surge of nationalism which reached great heights after Prime Minister Modi had ordered aerial strike against Pakistan in February.
A special provision was granted to Jammu and Kashmir in 1949 giving the state major autonomy.
The Article 370 allowed the state to have its own Constitution, a separate flag and functional autonomy over all the matters except defence, foreign affairs and communications.
BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, welcomed the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 and described the occasion as "the most Acchey Din" for the people of Ladakh region.
A Presidential order issued said that the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be henceforth called ''Legislative Assembly of the State''.
It further said that the new directive will come into force at once, and shall thereupon supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.
BJP patriarch and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who held the portfolio of Home during Vajpayee stint, said scrapping of the said Article has been a ''part of BJP’s core ideology since the days of Jan Sangh''.
''A historical wrong has been undone today ..........It had to go,'' tweeted Arun Jaitley, former Defence and Finance Minister.
The RSS and the VHP also welcomed the government move.
''We congratulate the government for this bold initiative which was very much necessary in national interest including the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Everyone should welcome this notwithstanding any personal interests or political differences, '' said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in a tweet.
The political parties seemed to have changed their respective stance on the issue.
In a rather surprising missive on the micro blogging site, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal backed the government decision despite his known opposition to the BJP.
"Our chief Nitish Kumar is carrying forward the tradition of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and George Fernandes. So, our party is not supporting the Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha today,'' said K C Tyagi of JD (U), which is a constituent of the NDA.
While Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad described the government move as
'catastrophic', the principal opposition party suffered in the Rajya Sabha when its chief whip Bhubaneswar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House opposing the party's stand on Article 370.
"Today's Congress is treading a path as if it wants to commit suicide and I do not want to be a party to this," Mr Kalita said adding "I will not follow the whip".
In
the Lok Sabha, Congress and other opposition parties staged walkout
saying the resolution brought in the House was not proper.
Former
Home Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said - ''Today
is the black day in the Constitutional history of India. What the
government has done is unprecedented.''
Sharing similar sentiment, Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief, also tweeted saying - "Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy".
P-5 Nations, envoys from other countries briefed about Govt's Kashmir policy
New Delhi, Aug 5 Hours after taking the country's political circle by surprise and as the government abolished a special article for Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs officials on Monday briefed envoys and deputy envoys of various countries including P-5 nations.
According to a source here, envoys of the United States, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom along with officials from other embassies and high commissions were briefed about government's stance vis-a-vis the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"In the light of interest expressed by members of the diplomatic community in Delhi, senior MEA officials are briefing the Envoys of several countries, including P5, on proposals related to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution," a source said here.
"It was, inter alia, highlighted that the proposals which are currently under consideration of Parliament of India are internal to India," the source said.
The central government also made it clear that these steps are aimed at providing good governance, promoting social justice and ensuring economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.
J&K loses 'state' status; Modi Govt gets pat from Sangh; Art 370 abolished
New Delhi, Aug 5 Known for pushing the muscular brand of nationalism, the Modi government on Monday fulfilled a long time held pledge of the Hindutva school of thought and took a major step and abolished the special status given to militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.
The government also moved a bill proposing to divide the 'state of Jammu and Kashmir' into two regions and sought to deprive J&K the statehood status and make 'Kashmir and Jammu region' as a new Union Territory with a legislature.
The government issued a presidential decree which said that the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be henceforth called ''Legislative Assembly of the State''.
A Law Ministry notification under the title 'The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) order, 2019, said that any references to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shall be construed as including references to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of Council of Ministers.
The government bill also proposed to give UT status to Ladakh - with no legislature.
It goes without saying that the BJP’s political growth as reflected in 2019 general elections is also linked to a surge of nationalism which reached great heights after Prime Minister Modi had ordered aerial strike against Pakistan in February.
A special provision was granted to Jammu and Kashmir in 1949 giving the state major autonomy.
The Article 370 allowed the state to have its own Constitution, a separate flag and functional autonomy over all the matters except defence, foreign affairs and communications.
BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, welcomed the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 and described the occasion as "the most Acchey Din" for the people of Ladakh region.
A Presidential order issued said that the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be henceforth called ''Legislative Assembly of the State''.
It further said that the new directive will come into force at once, and shall thereupon supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.
BJP patriarch and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who held the portfolio of Home during Vajpayee stint, said scrapping of the said Article has been a ''part of BJP’s core ideology since the days of Jan Sangh''.
''A historical wrong has been undone today ..........It had to go,'' tweeted Arun Jaitley, former Defence and Finance Minister.
The RSS and the VHP also welcomed the government move.
''We congratulate the government for this bold initiative which was very much necessary in national interest including the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Everyone should welcome this notwithstanding any personal interests or political differences, '' said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in a tweet.
The political parties seemed to have changed their respective stance on the issue.
In a rather surprising missive on the micro blogging site, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal backed the government decision despite his known opposition to the BJP.
"Our chief Nitish Kumar is carrying forward the tradition of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and George Fernandes. So, our party is not supporting the Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha today,'' said K C Tyagi of JD (U), which is a constituent of the NDA.
While Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad described the government move as
'catastrophic', the principal opposition party suffered in the Rajya Sabha when its chief whip Bhubaneswar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House opposing the party's stand on Article 370.
"Today's Congress is treading a path as if it wants to commit suicide and I do not want to be a party to this," Mr Kalita said adding "I will not follow the whip".
In the Lok Sabha, Congress and other opposition parties staged walkout saying the resolution brought in the House was not proper.
Former Home Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said - ''Today is the black day in the Constitutional history of India. What the government has done is unprecedented.''
Sharing similar sentiment, Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief, also tweeted saying - "Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy".
 |
Ladakh lawmaker Namgyal |
It's 'most Acchey din' , says Ladakh lawmaker Namgyal
New Delhi, Aug 5 The BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, on Monday welcomed the centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir and grant union territory status to the Ladakh region.
"I extend my heartiest thanks to Honourble PM Narendra Modi Ji and Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah ji for the historic bill. I also extend my heartiest congratulations to the people of my Ladakh for the most Acchey Din," he said in a tweet.
He also said hardly 15 per cent of the people in Jammu and Kashmir will be against it.
''I, on behalf of people of Ladakh will thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for taking a stand which is in larger interest of India. Hardly 15 per cent will make noise for some time but the people in general, will welcome it,'' the BJP MP said.
J&K Constituent Assembly will now be Legislative Assembly: Presidential Order
New Delhi, Aug 5 With the government deciding to make Article 370 inoperative, a Presidential order issued on Monday said that the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be henceforth called ''Legislative Assembly of the State''.
A Law Ministry notification under the title 'The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) order, 2019, said that any references to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shall be construed as including references to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of Council of Ministers.
It further said that in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution, the President, with the concurrence of the Government of State of Jammu and Kashmir, has ordered that the new directive will come into force at once, and shall thereupon supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.
MHA sounds maximum nation-wide alert after J&K move
New Delhi, Aug 5 On a day when the Modi government made the major move of making Article 370 inoperative, Union Home Ministry on Monday asked the security and law enforcement agencies in all the States and Union Territories to be on maximum alert to prevent any possible breach of security or untoward situation.
The government has asked all the States and UTs to keep the security agencies and law enforcement agencies on maximum alert to prevent breach of security or public order and ensure harmony across the country.
More attention is to be given to the areas that are communally sensitive, according to an advisory issued to all the Chief Secretaries and Police Chiefs of the States and Union Territories.
The Centre has stressed upon taking special care and ensuring safety of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir and the students from the State across the country.
The government has also asked the states to keep a check on spreading misinformation of any kind in public through different media, specially social media and maintain a vigil against spreading of unverified news and rumours that can be aimed at disturbing peace and harmony and to create any sort of communal discord.
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