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Srinagar: Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad Wednesday demanded that the BJP-led government at the centre should seek consent of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly before amending the Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017, in the Parliament and Rajya Sabha.
The Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017, as Wednesday put in the Rajya Sabha by Union Statistics Minister Sadananda Gowda for voting.
Azad in a statement issued from Delhi demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly should pass the bill in the assembly.
“Jammu and Kashmir is the sensitive state and the situation is worse from the last 30 years. Only a spark is needed to cause the fire. BJP is ruling the state with PDP. The state government should pass the bill in Legislative Assembly first, then the parliament and Rajya Sabha can pass it,” Azad demanded.
The Collection of Statistics Act was passed in 2008 and it did not extend to J &K because as per Article 370 of the Constitution, J&K assembly has to extend it to the state. The J&K has passed its own “Jammu and Kashmir Collection of Statistics Act, 2010” but only for State subjects.
“Today an amendment to the 2008 Act has been passed by the Rajya Sabha to extend it to J&K. As a practice, J&K Assembly should have been asked to pass the bill instead of Parliament passing it respecting Article 370,” Azad said.
Union Statistics Minister Sadananda Gowda said that Census is in the Union list.
“The rights of Kashmiris are not infringed through this Bill. The data collected from Jammu and Kashmir will be used for the development of the region. We had sent a cabinet note regarding the Bill to the Kashmir government. But they haven’t responded to it,” Gowda said.
He said only residuary powers rest with the State government. The parliament has absolute power, he says throwing his weight behind the Bill.
Azad raised the issue while the bill was passed in Rajya Sabha and insisted that looking at the special status of J&K, and since BJP has Government at Centre as well as coalition Government in the State, they should ask the State Govt to pass the bill in J&K Assembly instead of passing it in the Parliament.
“However, the Govt passed the said amendment in Parliament,” he said.
Azad reiterated in Rajya Sabha when bill was passed that all the Opposition parties have cautioned the Government not to pass the bill in Parliament looking at the special status and sensitive conditions in J&K, still since the Govt has preferred to pass the bill, it should be fully responsible for its consequences.
Azad while taking a dig on government to highlight special status accorded to Kashmir but silent on incentives given to other States.
He said that the central government has not informed the state government or the former four-time chief minister and present MP Farooq Abdullah about the bill.
“There are a lot of misinformation on this status. The national parties and Kashmir’s political parties were not asked for suggestions before bringing up the Bill.”
He urged the government to pause the debate, take it up with the State government and then bring the Bill to the House.
