Parliament LIVE: Home Minister Amit Shah today hit out at the Congress for politicising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the situation in the Valley was completely normal after the scrapping of provisions of Article 370. “I can’t make Congress’s condition normal because they had predicted bloodshed after abrogation of Article 370. Nothing of that sort happened, not one bullet was fired,” Shah said. He added, “99.5% students sat for exams there but for Adhir Ranjan ji [Congress], this is not normalcy. Seven lakh people availed OPD services in Srinagar, curfew and Section 144 were removed from everywhere. But for Adhir ji, the only parameter for normalcy is political activity. What about local body polls which were held?”
As the Congress questioned when the political leaders in detention would be released, Shah said the Congress had kept former chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s father in jail for 11 years. “We don’t want to follow them. As soon as administration decides, they will be released,” the minister said.
The Rajya Sabha, meanwhile, will take up the Citizenship Amendment Bill tomorrow, a day after the Lok Sabha nod to the contentious legislation. Six hours have been allotted for discussion on the issue which saw heated arguments in the Lok Sabha where the Opposition accused the Narendra Modi government of discrimination.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there. They will be given Indian citizenship after residing in the country for five years, instead of 11 years which is the current norm.
Indigenous people of the Northeastern states fear that the entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.
Shah will also move the Arms Amendment Bill for passage in the Rajya Sabha today a day after the bill, which seeks to enhance punishment for illegal possession and making of arms, was passed in the Lok Sabha. Shah said the bill accorded special status to a sportsperson who needs firearms and ammunition to practice and participate in tournaments.
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