SRINAGAR: A day after the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday alleged that the BJP through this Bill was trying to increase their seats through backdoor in the Legislative Assembly.

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha passed the Bill which seeks to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Kashmir to the Legislative Assembly.

“As far as the bill is concerned, we have objections on two things. One that the Supreme Court has not announced its decision on Reorganisation (Act) and they ( BJP government) keep bringing change one after one another," Omar told reporters in south Kashmir’s Tral area after a party convention, the National Conference Vice President said.

"The second thing is that reserving these seats should have been left to the elected government. As per the Bill, the LG (Lieutenant Governor) sahib has been given the right to fill the reserved seats and it has straightway created a doubt that the Bill is aimed at helping BJP,” he said.

Omar claimed that BJP can’t win elections in J&K and through backdoor they are trying to increase the seats in Assembly.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami has questioned the passage of two Amendment bills in the Lok Sbha.

“The passage of Amendment Bills at this juncture appears to be in sharp contrast to democratic and judicial practices,” Tarigami said.

He said it has become a standard practice of the current dispensation to take undemocratic and unconstitutional decisions.

“Moreover, the Jammu and Kashmir government had already passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. The Act provided for reservations in recruitments and admission in professional colleges to the members of Schedule Casts, Schedule Tribes and other socially and educationally backward classes.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 replacing the terms like "weak and underprivileged classes" with "other backward classes" seems mere a linguistic revision,” the CPI (M) leader said.

He said on the one hand the government seems adamant to continue to keep the J&K people disempowered by refusing to hold Assembly elections since 2018, despite stating from the so-called delimitation process, upgradation of electoral rolls and tall claims of normalcy.

“The nomination of two members from the Kashmiri Pandit community to the Legislative Assembly reeks of the current dispensation's intentions of never rehabilitating them in their native places,” he said. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: Two former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir today said that the induction of Mashal Mullick – the wife of Yasin Malik as a Minister in Pakistan is an internal matter of Pakistan.

Talking to reporters separately Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti said that India should be least concerned about the issue as it is the internal matter of Pakistan.

Pakistan's interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has included Mushaal Hussain Malik, the wife of imprisoned Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, in his cabinet. She has been designated as Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights.

“Does Pakistan ask India which ministers should be appointed? If not then why Pakistan will seek suggestions from India when it comes to the induction of any minister,” Omar Abdullah responded to a question of a reporter in Srinagar.

Mehbooba Mufti said that Mashal Mullick is not involved in any crime like the Sadhvi Pragya of India. “If a terror convict like Sadhvi Pragya can become a Parliament member and abuse Mahatma Gandhi, what’s wrong with Mashal Mullick who is not involved in any crime. It is the internal matter of Pakistan,” said said.

She further said that the appointment of Mashal Mullick at least shows that Pakistan is rewarding and honoring those who work for Jammu and Kashmir unlike India which disrespected and dishonored a towering personality like Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah who believed in the idea of India and acceded with India.

Pragya Singh Thakur, better known as Sadhvi Pragya, is a Member of Parliament representing Bhopal and belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party. She is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts where 10 people were killed and 82 more were injured.

He said that allowing 8th day Muharram procession from traditional routes of Srinagar after over three decades is a “welcome step”, but the Lieutenant Governor led government administration needs to take a few more steps in the right direction to restore actual normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is a good thing that permission was given after so many years on Muharram procession on 8th day and we all welcome. We hope this is not a decision on isolation," the NC Vice President told reporters in Srinagar.

Omar said it has been found that if it suits the government they find it very easy to clamp down on

religious freedom.

“There are numerous examples there in front of you how many Friday’s are there when permission was not given in Jamia Masjid for Fridays prayers…that must stop”.


He said the authorities should release Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from house detention to allow him to fulfill the religious duties.

Omar said BJP’s political future is linked to how best they can divide voters in Jammu and Kashmir. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti said the BJP was “shedding crocodile tears” over an incident that has shocked the world.

“Close On the heels of BJP shedding crocodile tears on a gruesome incident that shocked the world, a prowling predator ( referring to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) who takes advantage of female wrestlers is granted regular bail.

Another rapist masquerading as a godman ( referring to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh) is released on parole. The message from the ruling party is clear - “‘beti bachao beti padhao isn’t worth fighting against sexual molesters who secure BJPs political interests,” Mufti said in a tweet.

National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah said for the BJP what is happening in Manipur is a ‘baseless issue’.

Omar was reacting to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh for his remarks that the opposition was bringing up baseless issues to disrupt the Parliament.

“For the BJP what is happening in Manipur is a ‘baseless issue’,” Omar said on Twitter. (UNI)