The BJP in its manifesto had said it was “committed to annulling Article 35A” of the Constitution of India as the provision is “discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir”.
The article provides special rights and privileges to the natives of Jammu and Kashmir
“We believe that Article 35A is an obstacle in the development of the state. We will take all steps to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for all residents of the state,” it said.
Article 35A was incorporated in the Constitution in 1954 through a presidential order on recommendations of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru’s cabinet.This provision gives permanent residents of the state special rights and privileges in government jobs, scholarships, aids and acquisition of property.
|
|
Nirmala Sitharaman: Finance Minister
Experience: 2 Rajya Sabha Terms
Outoing Minister: Arun Jaitley
The last five years have seen a meteoric rise of this former JNU student, who joined the BJP just over a decade ago. She was nominated as party spokesperson in 2010. Under the government led by AB Vajpayee, she served as a member of the NCW 2003 till 2005.
The two time Rajya Sabha member started out in May 2014 as an unsure minister of state with independent charge of commerce and industry. In September 2017, she went on to become India’s first full-time woman defence minister and a member of the hallowed cabinet committee on security.
As the ‘Raksha Mantri’, Sitharaman took some time to find her feet in the complex defence ministry, and the overwhelmingly male dominated environs of the armed forces, with all its national security challenges. It was, of course, not easy to follow heavy-weight predecessors like Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, Arun Jaitley and Manohar Parrikar.
She was also confronted with the tough task of countering Congress’ charge of crony capitalism in the Rs 59,000-crore Rafale deal, inked during Parrikar’s tenure. She vigourously defended the government’s stand on the defence deal. There was persistent talk she was kept out of the loop on major decisions, like the pre-dawn air strikes on the JeM facility in Balakot. But the earnest minister, who rarely smiles, did not let go. She retains PM Modi’s trust.
No non-state subject can buy land or settle permanently in Jammu and Kashmir due to the article.
Shah has also reiterated his party’s position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370, which allows a separate flag and constitution for the state. On illegal immigration, Shah has promised the adoption of NRC across the country.
Currently the NRC is being updated in Assam. When the draft NRC was published on July 30, 2018, there was a huge controversy over the exclusion of 40.7 lakh people from it. The draft NRC included the names of 2.9 crore people out of the total 3.29 crore applications. The final NRC is expected to be published on July 31, 2019.
The Supreme Court-monitored NRC exercise, aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh, was carried out only in Assam, which faced an influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century.
Amit Shah gets Home: Kashmir, NRC could top his agenda – Economic Times