Amit Shah attributes PoK issue to Nehru, reserves 24 seats to reinforce India’s claim

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced two crucial bills related to Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian Parliament, signalling a major reorganization and addressing historical injustices.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were tabled by Shah in the Lok Sabha.

Under the proposed changes, Jammu will now have 43 seats, up from the previous 37, while Kashmir's seat count increases from 46 to 47. Notably, 24 seats have been reserved for Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), reinforcing India's claim over the region.

Amit Shah emphasized that these measures aim to rectify longstanding grievances and provide representation to those who were displaced, particularly the Kashmiri Pandits.

The Home Minister pointed out that around 46,631 families of Kashmiri Pandits were displaced within their own country, living as refugees. The bills seek to grant them rights and representation, addressing a historic injustice that persisted for 70 years.

Amit Shah also took a swipe at the Congress party, accusing them of negligence during a critical period in Jammu and Kashmir's history. He claimed that the era of terrorism in the region post-1980s was not adequately addressed, and those responsible were enjoying vacations in England.

Furthermore, Shah held former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru accountable for the issue of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, labelling it a result of Nehru's blunders.

The Home Minister asserted that if not for Nehru's mistakes, PoK would have been part of India today. He specifically criticized the announcement of a ceasefire and taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations as two pivotal blunders by Nehru.

Despite opposition MPs walking out during Shah's remarks on Nehru, he stood firm, stating that the term "blunder" accurately described the situation and emphasizing that PoK belongs to India.