Haryana assembly resolution hails revocation of Art 370

The Haryana Assembly on Monday passed by voice vote a resolution welcoming the Modi government's decision to revoke Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, with the opposition Congress too supporting it. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar moved the resolution hailing the Centre, Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision.

Seconding the resolution, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma while seeking support from all parties said "it is the sentiment of the House and it is not a party matter." Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Singh Chautala too supported the resolution and added the Article 370 should have been revoked much earlier.

Chautala wanted to add in the resolution the issue of outsiders not being allowed to purchase properties in states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Sharma described the revocation of Article 370 as a "historic day".

"We should congratulate the PM, the HM and the Centre for the step taken in the nation's interest," he added. In this context, Sharma also referred to BJP's founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee and his solgan "Ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan aur do nishan nahi chalenge (There cannot be two Constitutions, two Prime Ministers and two flags in one nation).

Congress members, including Karan Singh Dalal, asked the leader of the House to explain the technical aspects of the Centre's move. However, cabinet minister and BJP's Anil Vij said he should make it clear whether he supports the revocation of Article 370 or not. Congress member Bhupinder Singh Hooda said it was part of the BJP's election manifesto to scrap Article 370. He asked Khattar whether the BJP has implemented even one of the 154 promises it made before assembly polls in Haryana.

Finance Minister Abhimanyu asked Hooda not to do petty politics as the matter is of national interest. This led to heated exchanges between treasury and opposition benches.

When Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma asked about his stand on the resolution, Hooda said, "I have no problem in supporting it". BJP members raised slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

Hooda was again on his feet to clarify that he supports the resolution, but sought to know about the fate of promises made by the BJP before assembly polls. Khattar asked the Congress member not to mix up issues and restrict himself to the resolution.

Congress Legislative Party leader Kiran Choudhary said since Independence many Congress leaders have given sacrifices for country. "The Congress always stood with what is in the country's interest," she said.

Agriculture minister O P Dhankar asked Choudhary if she is supporting the resolution. The Congress leader replied that she supporting it. Later, the resolution was passed by voice vote in House.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)