RS Passes Bill to Bifurcate J&K Into Two Union Territories

BJP MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said, “I welcome the Bill on behalf of everyone in Ladakh.”

New Map of Jammu and Kashmir

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Varun Sharma

The Rajya Sabha on Monday, 5 August, passed the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which proposes the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories (UTs) – Jammu and Kashmir division and Ladakh.

Making the announcement in Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the UT in Ladakh will have no legislature like Chandigarh, while the other UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Delhi and Puducherry.

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Acrimonious scenes were seen in the House soon after Shah’s announcement.

BJP MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal reacted to the Bill, saying, “I welcome the Bill on behalf of everyone in Ladakh. People there wanted the region to be a Union Territory. People in Ladakh wanted that the region be freed from the dominance and discrimination of Kashmir, that is happening today.”

Namgyal said the decision was necessary for Jammu and Kashmir's overall development and is in national interest as it will strengthen the border security, adding that protests by parties like National Conference and PDP should be ignored as he accused them of considering the state their "family business".

New Map of J&K

Once the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir is carried out, the map showing the two Union Territories will be significantly different from the current form.

The map of Jammu & Kashmir will bear a different look once the bifurcation is effected.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)