Jammu & Kashmir Live: Modi Government Moves To Amend Article 370, Create Two Union Territories - J&K, Ladakh

The Indian Army has been put on high alert along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir to effectively repulse any possible disturbance in the wake of the government abrogating Article 370 and deciding to split the state into two union territories, official sources said.
Sources said Pakistan may try to trigger unrest in the Kashmir Valley and there may be spurt in violence including improvised explosive device blasts and fidayeen attacks following the government's decisions.

"The security forces are fully prepared to deal with any situation. We will not allow the situation to go out of hand," said a senior military official.

With inputs from PTI.

Pakistan summoned Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria to its Foreign Office and conveyed a "strong demarche on the announcements made and actions taken" by the Government of India over Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement that Bisaria was summoned by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood. "The Foreign Secretary conveyed Pakistan's unequivocal rejection of these illegal actions as they are in breach of international law and several U.N. Security Council resolutions," the statement said.

With inputs from PTI.

Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have been arrested, officials told PTI. In separate tweets yesterday, the two had said that they had been placed under house arrest.

Officials added that Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference leaders Sajjad Lone and Imran Ansari have also been arrested.

With inputs from PTI.

The Rajya Sabha approved bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir with 125 votes in favour as compared to 61 against it. The Upper House also adopted a resolution by voice vote to abrogate Article 370.

Read more here.

The BJP-led government adopted a three pronged effort to modify the Constitution and J&K’s spcial status without a constitutional amendment bill.

“At the heart of everything is Presidential Order C.O. 272, which constitutes the basis for everything that follows. The second is a Statutory Resolution introduced in the Rajya Sabha, which – invoking the authority that flows from the effects of Presidential Order C.O. 272 – recommends that the President abrogate (much of) Article 370. The third is the Reorganisation Bill, that breaks up the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Ladakh (without a legislature) and Jammu and Kashmir (with a legislature),” as explained by constitutional lawyer Gautam Bhatia here.

Two business leaders have stepped out in support of the government’s efforts to modify Article 370 and withdraw special status to Jammu & Kashmir.

Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra & Mahindra group, commented on social media in favour of the government’s actions. Early in the morning he said the “entire country is waiting to exhale over Kashmir”. In the evening he wondered why such a decision was not taken before.

Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of the JSW Group, also supported the government’s moves.

J&K will be given full statehood at an “appropriate time” when normalcy returns, Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha.

The Modi government will make Jammu and Kashmir the most developed state, he said, adding that Rajya Sabha members should not be misguided by political parties.

• Strongly condemn and reject India’s proposed Parliamentary measure to repeal Kashmir’s autonomy
• Will exercise all possible options to counter the “illegal steps”
• No unilateral step by India can change Kashmir's disputed status

Key highlights from what Supreme Court Advocate Aryama Sundaram had to say:

• If the Kashmir problem continues escalating the way it has been, we may face a Punjab-like situation.
• Both Article 370 & Article 35A appear to be wholly against the unitary form of government.
• We are virtually creating an island within the country by continuing with Article 370 and Article 35A.
• If Kashmir is a part of India, Kashmir must adopt the ethos of the rest of India.
• Expect the Modi government's moves w.r.t. Jammu & Kashmir to be challenged in court.
• Since there's no assembly at this time, the central government's decision will hold.
• Anomalous to say that if there's no assembly, legislative business cannot be conducted.

The Bahujan Samawadi Party and Biju Janata Dal have announced their support to the BJP’s resolution to amend Article 370.

A Navaneethakrishnan, member of parliament from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Party announced their support for the reorganisation and reservations bills, in Rajya Sabha.

...and so did the Telugu Desam Party.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been demanding a full statehood for the national capital, voiced his support for the Modi government's move to make Jammu and Kashmir a union territory.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is likely to internationalise the Jammu and Kashmir issue where India has already been losing group in the United Nations, said former Finance Minister and BJP senior leader Yashwant Sinha.

Pakistan is not likely to take this “lying down” and will probably take this to the UN security Council and other international platforms, he told BloombergQuint.

Moreover, it won’t be surprising if the U.S.’reaction to this is unexpected, Sinha said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump is only waiting to jump into the issue.

Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir released his statement on Twitter, calling BJP’s move a “total betrayal of trust that the people of Jammu & Kashmir had reposed in India”.

The Bhartiya Janata Party’s move to seek an amendment to article 370 - removing the state’s autonomy - is a “very unwise step to take at this point”, said former Finance Minister and BJP senior leader Yashwant Sinha.

The move has implications for Jammu and Kashmir, India and the world, he told BloombergQuint, adding that we haven't taken history into account, and have “rushed in” to take a decision.

• There will be so much unrest in the state of J&K; security forces may find it difficult to control tensions
• Will of the people must prevail; the will of the people of J&K are not with the government of India
• The move could flare communal tensions in other parts of the country
• "Vote yatra" has started for the states that are going to polls this year
• Don't expect any stakeholder to openly support the Modi government's move

The method in which the government has gone around to do this is “shabby”, Sinha said. Three mainstream state leaders including Mehbooba Mufti have been placed under house arrest, he said.

“So which elements are with India on the issue? Isn't it important for India to have locals on their side?” he questioned.

• Modi government has followed a highly dubious process
• Do not think the process will stand up to judicial scrutiny; expect it be challenged in the Supreme Court
• The move revokes a solemn assurance given to people of J&K by the people of India

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav on Monday hailed the government's decision on Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and said the martyrdom of its idealogue Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee for complete integration of the state into India has been "honoured".

The national general secretary and the party's point person in the state said that the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir was a longstanding demand of the nation.

The Indian National Congress stands by the Constitution of India and protests the amendment to the Article 370, said party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad at the Rajya Sabha today, adding that the BJP has “murdered” the constitution.

President of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her disappointment in a tweet.

National Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar said the government should have taken the leaders of the valley into confidence before moving the resolution.

Congress leader P Chidambaram said even though the BJP may think it has scored a victory, future generations will realise what a grave mistake was made today.

MDMK leader Vaiko also opposed the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that such a “historic decision should not have been taken and pushed through in this arbitrary manner”.

The government on Monday moved a bill proposing bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir division and Ladakh.

Making the announcement in Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the union territory in Ladakh will have no legislature like Chandigarh while the other union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Delhi and Puducherry.

Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation bill. Acrimonious scenes were seen in the House soon after the announcement of the Home Minister.

(From PTI)

Home Minister Amit Shah sought an amendment to Article 370 - which gives the state of Jammu and Kashmir the right to have its own constitution - in the Rajya Sabha today.

An approval to such and amendment would suspend the provisions granting the state its autonomous powers.

Shah’s proposal was immediately followed by protests by opposition party members.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned escalating tensions in Kashmir has the potential to “blow up into a regional crisis” as India deployed additional troops and placed restrictions on regional leaders.

Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha session today, reported Bloomberg.

Shah will speak in Rajya Sabha at 11 a.m. and in Lok Sabha at 12 p.m., according to news agency ANI.

Cabinet meet at PM Modi’s New Delhi residence concluded, tweeted ANI.

Also, Home Minister Amit Shah left from 7 Lok Kalyan Marg after the meeting ended, the news agency added.

The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met at his residence, according to a PTI report. The meet comes amid speculation that the government may take some decisions on Jammu and Kashmir, the report said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad were the first to reach the prime minister's residence, where the meeting is taking place, officials said.

Union Cabinet to meet at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in 7 Lok Kalyan Marg at 9:30 am, tweeted news agency ANI.

Restrictions and night curfews were imposed in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir as the Valley remained on edge with authorities stepping up security deployment, reported PTI.

"There shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions (in Srinagar district) shall remain closed," according to an order.

Schools and colleges in Jammu, Kishtwar, Resai, Doda and Udhampur districts were also ordered to remain close on Monday, the officials said. However, educational institutions reopened normally after the summer break in Ladakh, according to ANI.

Regional leaders in Jammu and Kashmir were taken into custody or placed under house arrest on Sunday night, PTI reported, quoting unnamed officials.

Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti would not be allowed to move out of their respective house in view of the restrictions, while Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami claimed to have been arrested around midnight.

However, no official confirmation of the arrests was immediately available.

India said it deployed additional troops in Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday to beef up the security in the state following increased tensions.

Reinforcements were summoned after intelligence agencies received information about possible rise in militant violence in the state, reported Bloomberg, citing Dilbag Singh, the state’s Director General of Police. An Indian home ministry official separately told reporters on Aug. 1 that about 10,000 troops have been moved.