THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ASSEMBLY DEBATES ON AUTONOMY REPORT (English Version) (OFFICIAL REPORT) TH 9 SESSION APRIL 8TH AND 10 TH 2000 AND JUNE 20 TH , 21 ST , 22 ND , 24 TH & 26 TH 2000 SECRETARIAT M. Iqbal Ganai, Secretary, G.M.Qadri Dy. Secretary, THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY DEBATES (OFFICIAL REPORT) TH 9 SESSION Discussion on State Autonomy Committee Report (placed on the Table of the House on 13 th April, 1999) regarding which motion was moved by Shri P.L. Handoo, Hon;ble Law Minister on 8 th April, 2000 JAMMU AND KASHMIR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT (Official Report) (Relevant Excerpts from the proceeding dated 8 th April, 2000 regarding discussion on State Autonomy Committee Report) Hon’ble Speaker, Jenab A.A. Vakil presided over the sitting. ------------- Shri Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami : Sir, I am very much surprised to note that the important item of autonomy has been enlisted in today’s list of business. This pertinent political issue has become a bone of discussion in the newspapers all over the country these days. Last year at the time of presentation of this report, the Govt. had made it clear that a detailed discussion would be held on it in this House and the same was assured in the Governor’s Address too but without taking the House into confidence, the report was presented before the Central Govt. At the fag-end of this session when single working day is left…………..(Interruptions). I am in doubt whether this issue is an election stance or has to do something with our fate and future of our State. How can we do justice with this important issue when we are asked to wind up the debate on it on the last day i.e Monday? How can it be possible to do so in a single day? It is the question of our State’s future in which the entire country including our State is involved. So, I would request the Hon’ble Chief Minister and other Ministers that they should give the recognition to it and not underestimate its significance. We are the representatives of the people and we should discuss it in detail for which single day is not sufficient but a special session needs to be convened otherwise it could be a great injustice with the people and this House. Therefore, I want an assurance from the Hon’ble Chief Minister regarding convening a special se4ssion for this purpose. Thanks. Mr. Abdul Gani Naseem : Sir, while sharing the views expressed by my learned friend Mr. Tarigami, I would like to submit that we should not forget the fact that today we are in this august House only by virtue of autonomy issue which we had kept on the top 2 priority in our election manifesto. At the time of contesting elections in 1996, we did never made any commitment of providing roads, drinking water facilities etc. etc, but we categorically made it clear that if our party is voted to power, to stop blood-shed going on for the last 10 years, in turn we will bestow you with the gift of autonomy and that is all. So I agree and support the views of Mr. Tarigami for convening a special session of at least 10 days so that the autonomy issue is discussed threadbare in the House. Mr. speaker: Hon’ble Law Minister: Shri P.L.Handoo (Law Minister ): Sir, with your permission and very solemnly, I rise to Move…………… Mr. Speaker : Before you present it, I would like you to quote the rule under which you came forward with it? Which is the rule ? Mr. P.L.Handoo (Law Minister ): Rule about what ? Mr. Speaker : About presentation of this resolution. Mr. P.L.Handoo :Presentation of what ? Mr. Speaker : What you are stating in the House. Is it a motion? Mr. P.L.Handoo : Sir, it is a motion and that is all. Word ‘presentation’ has wrongly been used. It is something which is already on the Table of this House and the House is seized of it. I do not want to keep it unused there. Now I only seek a discussion what is normally just, your honour must be knowing it well that in respect of all the papers of different Conferences held all over India, we have been placing it on the Table of the House and I have reminded you that out of the two Conferences which I have had the privilege to represent this House, is All India Chairman Public Accounts Committee, we placed its papers on the Table of the House. So this is a just reason that we bring this motion here for discussion. But whatever, is placed on the Table of the House, is the material to which the House is seized of and if a member wishes to make use of it, he can. So I will refer……………….. ………………………………….(Interruptions)………………………………….. 3 Mr. Speaker: So, You present it first. Mr.P.L.Handoo : Sir, perhaps word ‘presentation’ was not correctly used………………….(Interruptions)…………………. Mr. Speaker : Please be attentive and serious. Mr. P.L.Handoo : And I think I rise solemnly to move “That this House take- up a discussion on State Autonomy Committee Report placed on the Table of the House on 13-5-1999 in light of below recorded Cabinet decisions dated 15-3-2000 and 19-1-2000. ………………………………(Interruptions)…………………………………… Note:- At this stage the entire opposition excepting Sheikh Abdu7l Rehman, Mr. Abdul Rehman Veeri and Mr. Mohd Sultan Panditpuri stood up and disrupted the proceedings of the House with the result nothing was audible in the din. They staged a walk-out in protest. Hon’ble Speaker then asked Mr. P.L.Handoo (Hon’ble Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister) to continue. Mr. P.L.Handoo (Hon’ble Law Minister): “The Cabinet discussed the State Autonomy Committee Report and decided that a discussion be raised in the Legislative Assembly along with a proposed resolution to endorse the earlier decision to constitute a Ministerial Committee which would initiate a dialogue with the Government of India on the recommendations of the Report. It was also decided that the aforesaid Ministerial Committee shall visit Delhi and other State Capitals to have discussions at the Ministerial level. It was further decided that an all party meeting would be convened in Srinagar in June ,2000 to discuss recommendations of the Report.” (ii) “The Cabinet endorsed the recommendations contained in the Report of the St ate Autonomy Committee. It was further decided that a special discussion on the Report would be convened in the Legislative Assembly at its next session . At the same time a response to the Government of India may be conveyed regarding the constitution of the Ministerial Committee consisting of the following:- 1. Shri Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Shah, Minister for Housing and Urban Development 4 2. Shri P.L.Handoo, Minister for Law 3. Shiri Mohammad Shafi, Education Minister 4. Shri A.R. Rather, Finance Minister 5. Shri S.S. Slathia , Minister for Tourism and Youth Services and Sports. The Government of India would be once again requested to set up a Ministerial Committee in order to initiate a dialogue on the Report” and this House be pleased to approve the same. Sir, the only correction which I will suggest here is that in the last but one line after the word “Report” kindly have apostrophy comma as given at the top because that is concluding part of the Cabinet decision . It should not be part of the motion; substantively moved by me. Sir, While I have said in the beginning , I solemnly rise to move this motion for which I feel personally that it will be perhaps the most full of pride occasion for me in my political career. I wish to live long to see this House enacting all the laws as flow from this report . Right now, my esteemed colleagues who are not here, I will have told them what it is? We are not enacting any law, we are not coming forth with any Legislative proposal , we are only coming forth with a report submitted to Government of Jammu and Kashmir , Field Officers, the Government of India . And Government of India in their eagerness to know what this report is and to know what opinion of the government of Jammu and Kashmir is , addressed a communication seeking the opinion of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and seeking also our advice on the methodology to be followed in the matter of discussion for the legislation and enactment which are bound to flow from this report. No one should be under doubt either in Kashmir or in rest of the country that his report will go without being utilized to bring all that is necessary for enactment of laws here and in the parliament at an appropriate time. No one can dream that this will go into the historical document. Everyone must remember that on 15 th of August, 1947 we started a journey in the country for federal India at which point of time, there were not only India and Pakistan but there were more than 500 States in the country. On the whole, 50 th year after you should see what has remained. The State of Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan have free constituent units in the sub-continent. The State of Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan have 5 free constituent units in the sub-continent. The State of Jammu and Kashmir, an integral unit of the federation continue to remain the State of Jammu and Kashmir.