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| 2 families still think Kashmir is their father's property, says BJP MP from Ladakh Tsering Namgyal | | |  Agencies
NEW DELHI, Aug 6: The stand of political parties in Kashmir is ironical because at one hand they boycott panchayat elections, but on the other are ready to participate in elections to seats that benefit them, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Ladakh Tsering Namgyal in the Lok Sabha today.
Tsering Namgyal said this during a debate on a government move to scrap the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
Attacking the Kashmir--centric J&K National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, Tsering Namgyal said, "Members of two families are still intoxicated and think that Kashmir is their father's property."
The two families here refer to the Muftis and Abdullahs whose members have been chief ministers of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Tsering Namgyal's speech in the Lok Sabha was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a tweet, PM Modi said, "My young friend, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal who is MP from Ladakh delivered an outstanding speech in the Lok Sabha while discussing key bills on J&K. He coherently presents the aspirations of our sisters and brothers from Ladakh. It is a must hear!"
In his speech, Tsering Namgyal said, "Since yesterday, everyone has been talking about equality, saying that if Article 370 is removed, equality will cease to exist. I want to ask why is it that in the past when funds were collected for the development of entire J&K, the entire amount for Ladakh was transferred to Kashmir. Is this your equality?"
A bill that was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday and debated in the Lok Sabha today seeks to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories--Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on this, Tsering Namgyal, "In the Lok Sabha election, the people of Leh, Ladakh and Kargil voted for a Union territory." He said when the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited the region, majority of the people said they want Ladakh to be made a Union territory.
"Yesterday, Congress leader in Rajya Sabha (Ghulam Nabi Azad) was screaming his lungs out saying what will happen to Ladakh, what will happen to Ladakh. I want to ask him, in 2008 when he was the chief minister his govt created eight new districts in J&K. Four were for Kashmir and the people of Jammu fought for an equal number. But Ladakh got nothing. Is this your equality?" Namgyal asked.
The BJP MP attacked the Congress and past state governments and accused them of discriminating against the people of Ladakh in giving government jobs.
"You [the Congress] did not establish any institute of higher education for Ladakh in so many years. Is this your equality? Ladakh recently got its first university under the Narendra Modi govt," he said.
Attacking the Opposition, Tsering Namgyal said, "Like you, I don't come here reading books but I come here after understanding the ground reality."
"You recognised Kashmiri and Dogri as scheduled languages, but what about language of the Ladakhi people?"
The BJP MP also accused the Congress of using Article 370 to "change demography" of Ladakh as it was a Buddhist majority region.
At the end of the speech, Lok Speaker Om Birla praised Namgyal for his oratory and enthusiasm, saying the House must encourage young members like Namgyal. |
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