The Hindu : Front Page : Women's Bill defeated in J&K Assembly

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Saturday, Aug 28, 2004

Front Page

Women's Bill defeated in J&K Assembly

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, AUG. 27. The controversial Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill was defeated in the Legislative Assembly today amid strong opposition from the National Conference which wanted the discussion on the Bill to continue. The Congress, which supported the Bill in March, now opposes it.

The Bill denies the women of Jammu and Kashmir their State subject status and associate benefits in case they marry outsiders.

The Assembly, which reassembled after a day's gap, functioned smoothly till question hour. Later, the Speaker, Tara Chand, announced a two-hour discussion on the Bill, which had been passed by the Assembly on March 5 and later returned by the Legislative Council without any decision.

Misconceptions

Initiating the discussion, the NC leader in the Assembly, Abdur Raheen Rather, said there was a lot of "misconception" about the Bill. There were no constitutional difficulties and the Bill would not weaken the country's federal structure. "There are similar laws in the north-east but there is no problem there. However, when it comes to our State, everybody is up in arms. If we are not able to pass a simple piece of legislation in the House, the people will lose faith in democracy."

Another NC leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar, said that it was unfortunate to "label us as Pakistani agents" when we talk about the Bill. "Our party has given blood for the country as thousands of our workers were killed by militants. Still we are suspicious in their [New Delhi] eyes."

The Housing Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, said that to pass the Bill was to ensure the protection of "our rights and culture." It had unfortunately been blown out of proportion.

The ruling People's Democratic Party's A.R. Veeri and Peer Mohammad Hussain also supported the Bill.

The State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), M.Y. Tarigami, said the Bill was linked to the State's identity and suggested that a comprehensive Bill in which the rights of women were protected be brought forward.

The senior Congress leaders, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Mohammad Sharief Naaz, spoke against the Bill. "We have to take into consideration the rights of those who have migrated and should not go in for such a law," said Peerzada.

Domicile status

The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Muzaffar Baig, said it was a question of domicile. Dismissing the view that the Bill had no popular support, he said: "The people here are stuck with the problems that have arisen in the last 15 years. They want to live with peace." It was unfortunate that motives were being attributed to the Government's move to bring the Bill.

Verbal duel

When Mr. Baig was speaking, the Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, interrupted him, leading to a verbal duel. After a while, the Speaker announced a vote on the Bill but nothing could be heard in the din created by the NC members who protested that the discussion was incomplete.

The PDP, the NC and the CPI — with a combined strength of 46 — supported the Bill, while the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Panthers Party and several independents opposed it.Finally, after the Speaker announced that the Bill had been defeated, the NC legislators rushed to the well of the House raising slogans against the Chair and the Government.

"The Bill is still alive," Mr. Rather told The Hindu after the Assembly was adjourned for the day and accused the Speaker of not following the proper procedure.

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