In a rare gesture for a legislator from Ladakh, MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal on Tuesday, 6 August, hailed the Centre's decision to revoke Article 370 and grant his constituency the status of a Union Territory, saying it will usher in development and strengthen border security.
“What will be lost with this (move to revoke Article 370) decision? Only two families will lose their daily bread, but the future of Kashmir will become brighter (Sirf do pariwar rozi-roti khoyenge aur Kashmir ka bhavishya ujjwal hone wala hai),” Namgyal quipped in an apparent reference to Abdullah and Mufti clans, as others present in the House cheered him on while thumping their desks.
“I am proud to inform the House that people in Kargil have voted in favour of the J&K Reorganisation Bill, which essentially makes Ladakh a separate Union Territory,” Namgyal said.
People of Ladakh had been demanding UT status for the region since 1948 as they were always discriminated against by "Kashmir-centric leaders", he said and added that protests by parties like National Conference and PDP should be ignored as they “considered the state their family business".
“People opposing the Bill had said that it will not ensure equality for the people living in the Kashmir region. I want to ask those members, where was this equality when they invested all the funds (released by the Centre) meant for the development of the erstwhile state in just two regions (Jammu and Kashmir)?” Namgyal asked as other BJP members in the House extended their support to the young leader through constant applause.
Namgyal also thanked the Prime Minister for providing Ladakh with a central university of its own.
“The UPA gave Kashmir a central University in 2011. The Jammu region fought and took a central university. I was a student union leader. We had demanded a central university in Ladakh, but we didn’t get any.”Namgyal
“PM Modi Ji recently gave us a university, 'Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai’,” visibly cheerful Namgyal said.
Welcoming the government’s decision on J&K, Namgyal said:
“This is the first time in the history of India that the aspirations and sentiments of the people of Ladakh are being heard.”
Namgyal then took a poetic course to appeal the members of the House to act swiftly in the passage of the Bill. Amid loud cheer from other leaders present in the House, including BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, Namgyal said:
“Desh ke liye pyaar hai to jataaya karo.. Kisi ka intezaar mat karo... Garv se bolo Jai Hind, abhimaan se bolo bhaartiya hain hum... swabhimaan se kaho Bharat Maa Ki Jai.. aur vartamaan mein karo is Bill ka samarthan.. (If you love the country, then you should express it without waiting for the right moment.. Chant Jai Hind with pride and be equally proud to call yourselves Indians.. Take Mother India’s name with due respect and vote in favour of the Bill tabled before the Parliament)”
After Namgyal concluded his speech, even Om Birla, the Speaker of the House from the BJP, said, “everyone should appreciate honourable members of the House like Namgyal”.
Meanwhile, Namagyan also earned the praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said on Tuesday that the Ladakh BJP MP coherently presented aspirations of people of the region in his speech.
"My young friend, Jamyang Tseing Namgyal who is Ladakh MP delivered an outstanding speech in the Lok Sabha while discussing key bills on J&K. He coherently presents the aspirations of our sisters and brothers from Ladakh. It is a must hear," Modi said in the tweet.
When Namgyal Became Tweeple’s ‘Favourite New Parliamentarian’
Namgyal’s speech in the Lok Sabha did not just win him cheer and applause from the members of the House, but the “young and dynamic leader” from Ladakh, in fact, earned a lot of praise on social media for his bold and fierce speech.
While one person said his speech brought out the “oppression in the Valley” another termed it an “uplifting and powerful intervention”.*
Speaker of The Day: Jamyang Tsering Namgyal
Stating that Jamyang Tsering Namgyal's debate on Article 370 in the Lok Sabha “totally destroyed” opposition parties and separatists, a Twitter user wrote: “I am so lucky that I witnessed his speech today. This young man is an inspiration to many young people.”
Earlier, Namgyal told reporters on Monday that both the decisions are in the interest of the country and will help in the development of Jammu and Ladakh regions while ridding the state of rules by two families (a reference to the families of Abdullah and Mufti).
The decision taken by the Centre is also in the interest of common Kashmiris, he had said, PTI reported.
Namgyal said the decision was necessary for Jammu and Kashmir's overall development and is in national interest as it will strengthen border security.
(With inputs from PTI)
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