New Delhi, March 14 (UNI) Congress MP Manish Tewari on Monday said the abrogation of Article 370 has made the situation worse in Jammu and Kashmir, while also mentioning the India-China border situation in Ladakh, as he participated in a debate on the Budget for the Union Territory.
Budget for Jammu and Kashmir was presented in the Lok Sabha on Monday, and taken up for debate along with supplementary demands for grants, even as the Opposition MPs said it was against the rules to present and discuss the Budget on the same day.
The Opposition MPs questioned how they were supposed to read voluminous Budget documents within a couple of hours, and debate it.
Congress MP Manish Tewari, who initiated the debate, said “I got the Budget document at 12.45, I think even Einstein would not have been able to read all the budget documents so fast. I would like to plead ignorance. I have not been able to read this Budget”.
“Because the debate is on Jammu and Kashmir and Budget is for the state I will speak on the general situation of J&K and its economic situation,” he said.
He said the government, while abrogating Article 370, had said it will lead to emotional integration of the state with India and usher in development.
“In 33 months, has the government succeeded in achieving these goals? The answer is no. The law and order situation in J&K is worrisome. The situation has become worse,” he said.
“The situation in Eastern Ladakh is very sensitive. Chinese forces are on Indian land. Since 2020, the situation has become more complicated because of Russia-Ukraine conflict, Imran Khan’s visit to Moscow and the agreement signed between China and Russia on February 4, joint statement on international relations entering a new era, the international politics has become more complicated in the last three years and it impacts border states. This government has to be very serious.
“I speak with a lot of responsibility, the government should think about it seriously, the steps that were taken, did it strengthen our position at the border, or increased our worries… This is a serious question,” he said.
He said 70 per cent of youth of Jammu and Kashmir, who joined militancy, were neutralised.
“But the thing to worry is whether since 2019, the involvement of locals has increased? If it has, it is a matter of worry. I would urge the government to take a serious view of it,” he said.
Tewari reminded the government of statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah that they will take a view on restoration of statehood, and questioned when the government would act on it.
He also referred to the delimitation process, and said the state parties were not happy with it.
“The process of delimitation is still ongoing in J&K. As far as I know, the political parties are not very happy with the process. Political parties need to be involved actively in the process,” he said.
