Speaking in the Upper House of the parliament, Home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the situation is “fully normal” in Jammu and Kashmir and a decision on lifting the internet curbs in the valley will be taken soon.
He also told the parliament that not a single person has died due to police firing since August 5 when the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status on Jammu and Kashmir. He said, “people in this house were predicting bloodshed but I am happy to inform that no one has died in police firing. Incidents of stone pelting have declined from 802 last year to 544 so far this year.”
HM @AmitShah in #RajyaSabha: After August 5(abrogation of artice 370 in J&K) not even a single person has died in police firing. People in this house were predicting bloodshed but I am happy to inform that no one has died in police firing. Incidents of stone pelting have declined pic.twitter.com/AMHD63nJZQ
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 20, 2019
Replying to a question by senior Ghulam Nabi Azad on when internet services will be restored, the home minister said the local administration will take a call on it.
“There are activities by Pakistan too in Kashmir region, so keeping security in mind, whenever the local authority deems it fit, a decision will be taken [on resuming internet services],” The Home Minister told the Rajya Sabha. He said that thousands of schools have already opened either partially or fully. TV networks and TV channels are working just as it is everywhere else, newspapers are printed and distributed just as they used to.
HM @AmitShah in #RajyaSabha on J&K: All Urdu/English newspapers and TV channels are functioning, banking services are fully functional as well. All Govt offices and all Courts are open. Block development council elections were held, 98.3% polling was recorded pic.twitter.com/62dyztYk3j
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 20, 2019
Commenting on the availability of consumer goods, he said, “petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG and rice are adequately available. Around 22 lakh metric ton apples are expected to be produced. All landlines are open.”
He also touched upon the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The home minister says that Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jain, Christians, Parsi refugees should get citizenship, that is why Citizenship Amendment Bill is needed so that these refugees who are being discriminated on basis of religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan, get Indian citizenship.
HM @AmitShah in #RajyaSabha: Availability of petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG and rice is adequate. 22 lakh metric ton apples are expected to be produced. All landlines are open. #JammuAndKashmir
LIVE | https://t.co/yGVh5Jul5k pic.twitter.com/PGZYwMRmVV
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 20, 2019
On the matter of the names excluded from the final draft of the NRC in Assam, Amit Shah says, “People whose names are not in the NRC have the right to approach the tribunal…Assam govt is also ready to foot the expenses of people who can’t afford a legal counsel.”
He said that “the NRC exercise was monitored by the SC. No religion has been targeted or isolated during the NRC exercise,” he says. The home minister adds that the government will provide asylum to people of all religions. “The exercise of NRC will be carried out in the entire country,” he says.
He also explained that “the NRC has no such provision which says that no other religion will be taken under NRC. All citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list. The NRC is different from Citizenship Amendment Bill.”