Parliament passes two J&K bills on reservation, representation in Assembly

New Delhi: Parliament on Monday passed two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir as Rajya Sabha cleared them with a voice vote, with Home Minister Amit Shah assuring the country that the beginning of a 'new and developed Kashmir' that will be free from terrorism has been made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two bills - J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and JK Reservation (Amendment) Bill - seek to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the legislative assembly, besides providing reservation to certain communities in Jammu and Kashmir.

They were passed by Lok Sabha last week.

The home minister said the two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir brought by the government would give justice to those deprived of their rights for the last 75 years and asserted that reservation to the displaced people would give them a voice in the legislature.

He also alleged that Jammu and Kashmir suffered due to the 'mistakes' of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and listed decisions like the 'untimely' ceasefire and taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations among them.

The opposition led by the Congress, however, walked out of the House midway during the Home Minister's reply.