Lok Sabha passes bills diluting Muslim power in IIOJ&K Assembly

NEW DELHI: India’s lower house of parliament, Lok Sabha, passed two bills on Wednesday — the Jam-mu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amend-ment) Bill -- in a step that critics say is aimed at diluting the Muslim majority representation in the legis-lative assembly of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). The claim by the Indian gov-ernment’s Home Minister Amit Shah is that the two bills will give ‘justice’ to those deprived of their rights for the last 70 years.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023. It amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2004. The Jammu and Kashmir Reor-ganisation (Amendment) Bill essentially increases three seats for non-Muslims in the name of the Kashmiri migrant community and ‘displaced persons’ while the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Amendment) Bill is said to aim at redefining “the category of individuals eligible for reservation in ap-pointments and admissions”.

During the Lok Sabha’s session on Wednesday, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah resorted to also criti-cising Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s late prime minister, for having made “two big mistakes” due to which Jammu & Kashmir “had to suffer” for many years. His comments led to Congress members walking out of the House. According to Indian media reports, the members returned later but none of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) members joined them during the walkout.