Amit Shah gets a pat on the back from PM Modi after Article 370 is scrapped

india

Updated: Aug 05, 2019 23:50 IST

Union home minister Amit Shah, who navigated the government’s two contentious proposals in Parliament to redefine the status of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, and singlehandedly countered the opposition’s sharp criticism for revoking Article 370 of the Constitution, came in for rich praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi..

Shah spent about an hour responding to the many points that lawmakers had made during the seven-hour debate in the Rajya Sabha. Scrapping Article 370 had been on the BJP’s agenda for a long time and was part of its election manifesto.

As Chairman Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi who had been sitting through Amit Shah’s response, walked up to the number two man in his government. Shah bowed to Modi and a visibly pleased Prime Minister patted his back.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 passed by Rajya Sabha. #BharatEkHai pic.twitter.com/mgxgvnw3JO — BJP (@BJP4India) August 5, 2019

PM Modi continued his praise on Twitter as well.

Home Minister @AmitShah Ji’s speech in the Rajya Sabha was extensive and insightful. It accurately highlighted the monumental injustices of the past and coherently presented our vision for the sisters and brothers of J&K. Do hear. https://t.co/ho7PPzyz5w — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 5, 2019

The Rajya Sabha passed by a voice vote the resolution to abrogate Article 370 and the accompanying Article 35A ending seven decades of autonomy and special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

The bill to split the state in two UTs-- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh -- was passed by 125 votes in favour and 61 against. One member abstained from voting and two PDP lawmakers were debarred from the day’s proceedings after they tore a copy of the Constitution of India in the House to protest against the move.