Latest news with #SixthSchedule
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kavinder Gupta assumes office of Ladakh lieutenant governor
Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta was sworn in as the new lieutenant governor (LG) of Ladakh on Friday, four days after President Droupadi Murmu appointed him to the post. BJP leader Kavinder Gupta takes charge as lieutenant governor of Union territory of Ladakh, at Raj Niwas in Leh on Friday. (ANI) Soon after the oath ceremony, Gupta expressed his desire to rebuild Ladakh and make it a global tourism destination. 'I have been appointed here to the post of lieutenant governor. I want to assure the people of Ladakh that rising above religion, caste, and party politics, we will all work together to rebuild a new Ladakh,' Gupta told reporters soon after taking over as lieutenant governor. He further said, 'There is still a lot that needs to be done. There is no doubt that Ladakh faced a lot of discrimination in the past.' Gupta was administered the oath of office in Leh by the chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh high court, Justice Arun Palli, at a ceremony held at Ladakh Raj Niwas in Leh, officials said. Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal read the official warrant of appointment. Gupta, 66, who started off as worker of Rashtriya Swayamasevak Sangh, is the third LG of Ladakh, succeeding Brigadier BD Mishra, who assumed the role in February 2024. He follows R K Mathur, Ladakh's first LG after Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized in 2019. A veteran BJP leader from Jammu's Janipur, Gupta has held several key posts in the past, both in the government and within his party. He was the as speaker of the J&K legislative assembly and also served as mayor of Jammu for three consecutive terms. He also led the BJP's youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), for two terms and spent 13 months in jail during the emergency as an RSS worker. Gupta was first elected as MLA from Gandhi Nagar assembly constituency in 2014, defeating Congress leader Raman Bhalla. Gupta's appointment comes at a time when the region was riled in a protracted agitation demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule. 'We want to take Ladakh to a level where it is recognised globally as a top tourism destination—just like other places in the world known for tourism,' he said. Soon after President announced Gupta's name for the coveted post on Monday, the latter had expressed gratitude to the President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and the party leadership for reposing their faith in him. 'This is a big responsibility entrusted upon me. I will serve the people of Ladakh and try to come up to their expectations,' he told the media. 'Ladakh was part of Jammu and Kashmir but there were several challenges that came up after it became a UT,' he had said. Recalling his earlier days, Gupta said that he had no political background. 'My father was an employee. I remained a student leader and worked for the youth,' he said. 3 time Jammu mayor, Gupta, joined RSS when he was 13 years old Gupta, born on December 2, 1959, joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at age of 13. He is a graduate and has three children. He served three consecutive terms as mayor from 2005 to 2010. After which he served as an MLA, assembly speaker and former deputy chief minister of J&K. In Punjab also he served as state secretary of ABVP for three years. His father, an employee in the postal and telegraph department, was posted at various places, including Gurdaspur and later Srinagar. A native of Smailpur village in Samba district, Kavinder Gupta officially joined the BJP in 1988. In the 2002 and 2008 Assembly elections, Gupta was initially given the BJP mandate from the Jammu West assembly segment, but the party changed its candidates at the last minute. In the 2014 assembly polls, he was shifted to the Gandhi Nagar assembly segment in Jammu city—then considered a Congress stronghold—where he defeated senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla. Eom.....
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Congress urges PM Modi to restore Jammu and Kashmir statehood
The Congress on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the demand being made by the residents of the Union Territory was legitimate and 'firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights'. In a joint letter to the prime minister, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge urged the Union government to introduce a legislation in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The Monsoon Session will begin on July 21 and end on August 12. The residents of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of statehood for the past five years, the Congress leaders said in their letter. 'It is important to recognise that while there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is without precedent in independent India,' they said. 'This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation.' In August 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the erstwhile state. It also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 2019 order abrogating Article 370 and ordered the Union government to restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. In their letter, Gandhi and Kharge referred to statements made by the prime minister on May 19, 2024, and September 19, 2024, reiterating the Union government's commitment to restoring statehood. The letter noted that the Union government had made similar assurances to the Supreme Court in the matter. "We urge upon the Government to bring forward a legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, we request that the Government bring forward legislation to include the Union Territory of… — Congress (@INCIndia) July 16, 2025 The Congress leaders also requested the Union government to bring a legislation to implement provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in Ladakh. The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 (Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas) of the Constitution guarantees protections for land and a nominal autonomy for citizens in designated tribal areas. In Ladakh, more than 97% of the population belong to Scheduled Tribes while Kargil is a Muslim-majority region in the Union Territory. The inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule would allow for the creation of autonomous development councils to govern land, public health and agriculture. Ten such councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, the only states where the Sixth Schedule has been implemented. Civil society groups have been demanding the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule. The Congress leaders said in their letter that the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule would be a 'significant step towards addressing the cultural, developmental and political aspirations' of the people while 'safeguarding their rights, land and identity'. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Congress' letter was a 'good move'. The Congress and Abdullah's National Conference are allies. 'We have been waiting for the Opposition to raise our voice in Parliament', The Hindu quoted him as saying. 'I am thankful to Rahul ji and Kharge ji for raising the issue with the Centre,' he was quoted as saying. 'We are not demanding something that was not promised to us. Inside Parliament and outside it, we were promised statehood. The SC also suggested 'at the earliest'.' In November, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution calling for the restoration of the special status that the erstwhile state had under Article 370. Through the resolution, the Assembly had sought to reaffirm the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees that 'safeguarded the identity, culture and rights of the people' of Jammu and Kashmir and 'expresses concern over their unilateral removal'. In January, Abdullah said that he wanted to give the Centre the 'first opportunity' to restore the Union Territory's statehood before seeking legal recourse.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kharge, Rahul write to PM for J&K statehood
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to bring a legislation in Parliament's Monsoon session to restore statehood to J&K, as he had promised. In their letter to the PM, they said their demand is 'legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights.' 'Your goodself has, on multiple occasions, personally reiterated the government's commitment to restoring statehood. While addressing a rally in Srinagar on September 19, 2024, you reaffirmed: 'We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region's statehood',' the letter reminded, also pointed out that the Centre had made similar assurances before the Supreme Court in the Article 370 matter, submitting that statehood would be restored 'at the earliest'. The Congress leaders also sought a law to include Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge write to PM Modi for Jammu and Kashmir statehood; CM Omar Abdullah welcomes move
File photo: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge (Picture credit: ANI) SRINAGAR: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi , and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, demanding the restoration of statehood to Jammu & Kashmir by bringing a bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. They also urged the Centre to grant constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to the Union territory of Ladakh to 'address the cultural, developmental, and political aspirations of the people of Ladakh, while safeguarding their rights, land, and identity'. J&K CM Omar Abdullah welcomed the development. 'We had been waiting for the day when the opposition would raise our voice in Parliament,' he said. Abdullah said the restoration of statehood is not an unusual demand, reminding that the Centre has repeatedly promised, inside and outside Parliament, in Supreme Court, and at public platforms, to restore J&K's statehood 'at an appropriate time.' However, PDP functionary and former minister Naeem Akhtar opined that there is not much reason for optimism, given the sharp divide between the Centre and the opposition on every issue. But he added, 'The return of statehood would bring some relief.' National conference chief Farooq Abdullah said he would react only after the government introduces such a bill in Parliament. Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa Jan also welcomed the Congress move. He told TOI that jobs are a major concern in Ladakh. 'But more than that we want the restoration of democracy, and safeguards for our culture and identity. We want them to be protected,' he said.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Rahul Gandhi's J&K Statehood Push In Letter To PM Ahead of Monsoon Session
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring a law in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Parliament to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. In a joint letter, the Congress leaders said that downgrading a state to a Union territory lacks precedent in independent India and reminded the Prime Minister of his promises of restoring J&K's statehood. The Prime Minister has "on multiple occasions, personally reiterated the government's commitment to restoring statehood," the letter read, pointing out at least two instances last year when PM Modi promised to restore the region's status. For the past five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood, the Congress leaders said, calling their demand both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights. "It is important to recognise that while there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is without precedent in independent India. This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation," they said. The Congress also reminded the Prime Minister that the Centre had assured the Supreme Court over the restoration of J&K's statehood. "The Union Government has made similar assurances before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the In Re: Article 370 matter, submitting that statehood would be restored at the earliest and as soon as possible," they added. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the Congress leadership for pushing the statehood issue. "I thank Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for writing a letter to the Prime Minister. We are demanding what has been promised to us in the parliament, Supreme Court and on public functions. We urge the Centre to restore the statehood as soon as possible," said Mr Abdullah. The letter is being seen as an indication that the INDIA bloc may raise J&K's statehood issue in the upcoming Parliament session. "In view of the foregoing and aforementioned, we urge upon the government to bring forward a legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," read the letter. Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its statehood and special status on August 5, 2019. Since then, the Centre and PM Modi have reiterated the government's commitment to restore their statehood at an appropriate time. The Congress has also urged the government to grant constitutional guarantees to the people of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
