NCP to abstain from voting on Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019

NCP MP Vandana Chavan on Monda criticised the "method" adopted by the Central government to push through its decisions on jammu and Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha and said her party will abstain from voting.

"Now that it seems like the Bill will be passed we only hope and pray that the government takes care and there is no backlash, bloodshed. We hope there is peace for Jammu and Kashmir and its people. We consider the way the bill was brought in the House absolutely condemnable and therefore NCP decides to abstain from voting," she said in her speech in the House.

The NCP MP added that her party leaders were shocked when the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill was brought in the House for passage and added that it would have been better if the people and leaders from the state were taken into confidence before bringing it up.

"We were shocked this morning when the Reorganisation bill was brought in the House for introduction and passing. It would have been better if the step was taken after consulting the leaders of the state. It would have been better if it was taken when there was a state government, if a democratic process was taken to pass the bill, and the will of the people had been taken into account," Chavan said.

The Centre on Monday scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bars people from rest of India from buying land in the state.

Shortly after Home Minister Amit Shah tabled a resolution to this effect in the Rajya Sabha, President Ram Nath Kovind came out with a notification -- The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 that will come into force immediately.