P Chidambaram demands restoration of statehood to J-K
New Delhi, Jun 21: Seeking restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said Parliament should repeal the "offending" laws in the upcoming Monsoon session and restore the status quo ante there.
He asserted that it is the only way to draw the starting line for a political resolution of the Kashmir issue
"What was made under the Constitution cannot be unmade by an Act of Parliament, misinterpreting and misusing the provisions of the Constitution," he said.
His remarks come ahead of the June 24 meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where 14 political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including four former chief ministers, have been invited for talks.
"J&K was a 'state' that signed an Instrument of Accession and acceded to India. It must enjoy that status forever. J&K is not a piece of 'real estate'. J&K is 'people'. Their rights and wishes must be respected," he said in a series of tweets.
"In the Monsoon session, Parliament should repeal the offending laws and restore the status quo ante in J&K. That is the only way to draw the starting line for a political resolution of the Kashmir issue," the former union minister said.
Chidambaram noted that one should remember that the "dismembering" of J&K has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the cases are pending for nearly 2 years.
"Congress Party's position, reiterated yesterday, that full Statehood must be restored to J&K should clear any doubt or ambiguity," he also said.
The Congress had on Sunday said it is committed to restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and the prime minister and the BJP should accept this demand in the interest of Constitution and democracy.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said depriving Jammu and Kashmir full statehood and not allowing its people to elect their own representatives is a direct attack on democracy and the constitutional principles.
The Central government abrogated the state's special status and bifurcated it into UTs on August 5, 2019. The erstwhile state has been under the Centre's rule since June 2018.
Congress Party’s position, reiterated yesterday, that full Statehood must be restored to J&K should clear any doubt or ambiguity
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 21, 2021
What was made under the Constitution cannot be unmade by an Act of Parliament misinterpreting and misusing the provisions of the Constitution
In the monsoon session, Parliament should repeal the offending laws and restore the status quo ante in J&K
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 21, 2021
That is the only way to draw the starting line for a political resolution of the Kashmir issue
J&K was a ‘state’ that signed an Instrument of Accession and acceded to India. It must enjoy that status forever. J&K is not a piece of ‘real estate’.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 21, 2021
J&K is ‘people’. Their rights and wishes must be respected.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nitish Kumar's son Nishant among 32 to take oath as Bihar ministers
Patna (PTI): In a major expansion of the Cabinet of Bihar's first BJP-led government, JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar and 31 others took oath as ministers on Thursday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Altogether 32 leaders, drawn from all constituents of the five-party NDA in the state, were administered the oath of office by Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain at a grand ceremony that was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister J P Nadda and BJP president Nitin Nabin.
Prominent inductees included Nishant Kumar, the son of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who stepped down as chief minister last month to enter the Rajya Sabha.
The BJP, which is the single largest party in the 243-member assembly with 89 MLAs, has 15 ministers, who took oath on Thursday.
Most of the inductees were those who were part of the Nitish Kumar cabinet formed in November last year after the NDA stormed back to power in the assembly polls.
The JD(U) is represented by a total of 15 ministers, 13 of whom took the oath at the Gandhi Maidan on Thursday. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav had taken oath in April along with Samrat Choudhary and were designated as deputy chief ministers.
Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sanjay Kumar Paswan, both from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan, are back as ministers, and so are Santosh Kumar Suman and Deepak Prakash, sons of Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustani Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, respectively.
