Jammu:
At a time when political parties in Parliament are attempting to find a unified voice to give women greater representation in the workings of government, another piece of legislation in Jammu and Kashmir actually seeks to take away the rights of women based on their marital status.
It's a proposal that has not just angered women across the state but divided its political parties.
"The bill should never get passed," said Sarochi Gupta, Jammu resident. Another Jammu resident Vandana Kotwal also made her opinion public: "It's a wrong decision."
Angry voices are coming against the controversial Permanent Resident Disqualification Bill, one that seeks to take away state citizenship rights of women.
The bill introduced by PDP MLA Murtaza Khan says Jammu and Kashmir women who marry outside the state should cease to have citizenship rights, the right to property and even jobs.
"The lady who opts for marrying outside the state must lose the citizenship of the state. There can be no one without a domicile, and there can be no one with two domiciles,'' said Murtaza Khan.
However, the billl is being stiffly opposed by Jammu based political parties like the BJP and the Panthers Party.
"The bill in its present form is highly outrageous, it's discriminatory," said Harsh Dev Singh, leader, Panthers Party.
The ruling National Conference that has supported the proposal in the past, this time around is non-committal.
Six years ago when a subtler version of the bill was tabled in the state assembly, they had supported it but it failed to pass muster.
"As per section eight of the constitution, bill can be introduced by any member," said Ali Mohammad Sagar, Law Minister, leader, National Conference.
The National Conference's coalition partner, the Congress has joined hands with the Opposition.
"The points on which we had opposed the bill in the house in the past remain and our stand is the same, we will oppose the bill," said Raman Bhalla, leader, Congress Party, State Revenue Minister.
The introduction of the bill has generated a lot of heat in the political circles across the state. What exactly is going to be the fate of the bill will be clear once it comes up for discussion in the House, but already all the political parties have made their stand quite clear on the issue.
It's a proposal that has not just angered women across the state but divided its political parties.
"The bill should never get passed," said Sarochi Gupta, Jammu resident. Another Jammu resident Vandana Kotwal also made her opinion public: "It's a wrong decision."
Angry voices are coming against the controversial Permanent Resident Disqualification Bill, one that seeks to take away state citizenship rights of women.
The bill introduced by PDP MLA Murtaza Khan says Jammu and Kashmir women who marry outside the state should cease to have citizenship rights, the right to property and even jobs.
"The lady who opts for marrying outside the state must lose the citizenship of the state. There can be no one without a domicile, and there can be no one with two domiciles,'' said Murtaza Khan.
However, the billl is being stiffly opposed by Jammu based political parties like the BJP and the Panthers Party.
"The bill in its present form is highly outrageous, it's discriminatory," said Harsh Dev Singh, leader, Panthers Party.
The ruling National Conference that has supported the proposal in the past, this time around is non-committal.
Six years ago when a subtler version of the bill was tabled in the state assembly, they had supported it but it failed to pass muster.
"As per section eight of the constitution, bill can be introduced by any member," said Ali Mohammad Sagar, Law Minister, leader, National Conference.
The National Conference's coalition partner, the Congress has joined hands with the Opposition.
"The points on which we had opposed the bill in the house in the past remain and our stand is the same, we will oppose the bill," said Raman Bhalla, leader, Congress Party, State Revenue Minister.
The introduction of the bill has generated a lot of heat in the political circles across the state. What exactly is going to be the fate of the bill will be clear once it comes up for discussion in the House, but already all the political parties have made their stand quite clear on the issue.
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