NC member's claim on Mookerjee's stand on Art 370 evokes

A claim by a National Conference member on Tuesday on Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee's stand on Article 370 evoked strong objection from the BJP in Lok Sabha with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asking him to either authenticate it or apologise to the House.

After an uproar by the treasury benches, Speaker Om Birla directed that the remarks by NC's Hasnain Masoodi be expunged.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the member's statement was against historical facts and should be removed from Lok Sabha's records.

Masoodi, while participating in the debate on a motion to abrogate Article 370 and a bill to split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, made certain observation on Mookerjee's stand on the constitutional provision.

Home Minister Amit Shah reacted swiftly, rejecting his claim.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is also deputy leader of Lok Sabha, said the NC leader should authenticate his claim. If he cannot, he should apologise to the House, Singh said.

Mookerjee had opposed the provision, saying one country with two flags and two Constitutions was not correct.

Hasnain said that history will determine whether decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories was good enough to celebrate.

"You(the government) are behaving both as lawyer and judge. You have no power to amend Article 370," he said.

Hasnain also pointed out that no farmer has committed suicide in Jammu and Kashmir and people of the state are well off.

Thirumavalavan T (VCK) said that the government has not followed any democratic practice for bringing resolution for revoking provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019.

"You are weakening those who stood with India," he said.

Jamyang Tsering Namgyan (BJP) said the the people of Ladakh had been fighting for Union Territory status for the last seven decades.

"If Ladakh is today under-developed, then Article 370 and Congress party are responsible for it," Namgyan said.

Shashi Tharoor (Congress) said it was a dark day for Indian democracy as the government brought the resolution for revoking provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 without consulting with other political parties.

"You have also done serious damage to our international reputation," Tharoor said.

The government will be able to get the resolution passed as it has brute majority, he added.

"You have changed the basic constitutional relationship of Jammu and Kashmir with India.... You have betrayed the spirit of the Constitution," Tharoor alleged.