In a matter of grave embarrassment for the Congress, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Tuesday, 6 August, suggested that Jammu and Kashmir isn’t an internal matter.
After Amit Shah announced the resolution to revoke Article 370 and a Bill to bifurcate Jammu & Kashmir, the House witnessed a spat between him and the Congress leader.
Chowdhury rose from his seat to make his initial remarks, and asked Shah what the government’s position on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is, with reference to the 1994 resolution by the House which stated that J&K is an integral part of India.
He reportedly lashed out at the government by saying that rules and regulations had been thrown out of the window with the proposal to create two Union Territories out of Jammu & Kashmir.
His remarks provoked Home Minister Amit Shah, who asked Chowdhury to refrain from making a “general statement” and that the Parliament is the biggest panchayat of the country, the proceedings of which are watched across the world, IANS reported.
“General statements should not be made. This is the biggest panchayat of the country. Please tell us which rules have been violated. I will respond to them,” Shah reportedly said.
Chowdhury’s remarks not only triggered protests from treasury benches, but also made Congress veteran leader Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul “visibly upset”.
The matter wasn’t laid to rest at that. Chowdhury further asked the government whether Jammu & Kashmir is an internal matter or a bilateral issue, saying that the United Nations has been monitoring the erstwhile state’s situation since 1948.
“You say it is an internal matter. The UN has been monitoring the situation since 1948. Then there is Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. Whether this is a bilateral matter or an internal matter...” Chowdhury asked, thereby shifting the course of the discussion and handing Amit Shah ammunition with which to attack the Congress.
Shah responded and sought to know the Congress’ stance on the UN monitoring Kashmir; he further repeatedly asked Chowdhury to clarify his party’s take on the abrogation of Article 370 and the Bill, according to PTI.
The verbal altercation ended after Chowdhury said that he was only seeking clarification and information from the government.
Chowdhury later issued a clarification and told the media that his statement was taken out of context.
Sonia and Rahul aren’t happy with Chowdhury as he seemingly deviated from the line that was agreed to be taken in the House proceedings, during a meeting of Congress lawmakers on Tuesday morning, NDTV reported.
The government, on Monday, revoked some provisions of the Article 370 and proposed the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, a bold and far- reaching decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of the region.
(With inputs from NDTV, PTI and IANS)
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