NC MP Masoodi hits out at Modi govt for misusing J&K reorganization Act, discriminately imposing new official languages

Srinagar: The National Conference Member Parliament from South Kashmir Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi during his participation in the debate over J&K official languages bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday evening hit out at the Narendra Modi’s BJP led NDA Government for misusing section 73 by suspending section 47 of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 to implement new hostile measures in Jammu & Kashmir calling them a fit case for immediate revocation both constitutionally and as well as politically . He also referred to some historical decisions of the erstwhile dogra rulers and Jammu & Kashmir constituent assembly on making Urdu the sole language of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state to seek immediate roll back of the J&K official languages bill proposing inclusion of Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi.
“Stop inflicting more wounds on Kashmir, revoke immediately last year’s August 5 decisions to restore normalcy in Jammu & Kashmir as even today two encounters one in central and another in South Kashmir are underway”.
“Central government has suspended section 47 of the J&K Reorganisation Act,2019 only to impose new hostile measures as part of a “ constitutional” aggression on the people Jammu & Kashmir under it’s section 73 after August 5 last year.”
Taking part in the discussion on J&K official languages bill on Tuesday evening in Lok Sabha the lower house also called the house of representatives of the parliament, Justice (Retd) Masoodi said the central government has suspended section 47 of the J&K Reorganisation Act,2019 only to impose new hostile measures as part of a “ constitutional” aggression on the people Jammu & Kashmir under it’s section 73 after August 5 last year. Reminding that the whole Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act,2019 has been challenged by the Supreme Court by more than twelve petitioners and taken up for hearing by a five judge constitutional bench, the NC’s Member Parliament and former Judge of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Masoodi sought to know that if there is no provision of five official languages in any other state or union territory of the country, why the government is introducing five official languages discriminately in Jammu & Kashmir. He asked why the Centre was hurrying the legislation as the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 that split the former State into two Union Territories, and another legislation that struck down Article 370 of the Constitution has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the verdict was awaited. He said Urdu was a link language between J&K and Ladakh. Though Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said that as per the Census of 2011, only 0.16% of the population in J&K spoke Urdu, which has remained the sole official language, but Justice Masoodi hit back and said if only 0.16% of the J&K population is urdu speaking then why to retain Urdu as official language and dared the government explain that why Urdu remained official language right from the inception of Dogra rule till now. He told the parliament that five official language formula will finally confuse bureaucracy in Jammu & Kashmir where Urdu is official language in both revenue and as well as police departments besides other government departments. Interestingly Hindi declared another official language in Jammu & Kashmir in the new language bill is official language only in 12 of the 28 states of the country .
“Why the Centre was hurrying the legislation as the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 that split the former State into two Union Territories, and another legislation that struck down Article 370 of the Constitution has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the verdict was awaited. He said Urdu was a link language between J&K and Ladakh. Though Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said that as per the Census of 2011, only 0.16% of the population in J&K spoke Urdu, which has remained the sole official language, but Justice Masoodi hit back and said if only 0.16% of the J&K population is urdu speaking then why to retain Urdu as official language and dared the government explain that why Urdu remained official language right from the inception of Dogra rule till now”.
“Not the parliament but only a new constituent assembly can repeal the J&K constitution as Supreme Court of the country in one of it’s observations on 2019 August ,5 measures has said that ‘nothing is irreversible’ for the apex court of the country” .
Referring to the political history of Jammu & Kashmir Justice (Retd) Masoodi said Jammu & Kashmir had it’s own constitution from 1939 which was adopted by J& K constituent assembly in 1957 reiterating that tallest leaders including the then President, then Prime Minister, and others including Murarji Desai and Y B Chavan had congratulated the people of Jammu & Kashmir for adopting their own constitution in the year 1957. Justice (Retd) Masoodi reminded the government that not the parliament but only a new constituent assembly can repeal the J&K constitution as Supreme Court of the country in one of it’s observations on 2019 August ,5 measures has said that ‘nothing is irreversible’ for the apex court of the country . He told the parliament “ stop inflicting more wounds on Kashmir, revoke immediately last year’s August 5 decisions to restore normalcy in Jammu & Kashmir as even today two encounters one in central and another in South Kashmir are underway”.