Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday moved a statutory resolution in the Lok Sabha to extend President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a period of six months.

Defending his proposal, Shah said President’s rule has allowed the Centre to do a lot of stalled work in the state.

A decision has been taken to construct 15,000 bunkers, 4400 of these have already been constructed, he said.

He further said the Centre was monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and assured that the construction of bunkers in border areas will be completed within the time limit set by the previous home minister Rajnath Singh. “Life of every individual is important to us,” Amit Shah said in Lok Sabha.

He also claimed that during the Governor’s Rule and later President’s Rule, the government has hit the roots of terrorism.

This is the first proposal Shah has moved in the Lok Sabha after being appointed as the home minister in the second tenure of the Narendra Modi government.

Further on, Amit Shah said that in view of Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra, preparations are underway to hold Assembly elections by the end of the year in the state.

The Union Home Minister further moved the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha saying that the bill was “not to please anyone but for those living near the International Border”.

“People living along the International Border should also be included among the 3 per cent who get reservation under this provision. Some 350,000 people of the state will benefit from this amendment,” Shah said.

The Bill once passed by Parliament will amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 to bring persons residing in areas adjoining the IB within the ambit of reservation, on par with those living in areas adjoining the ALoC.

Meanwhile, the Congress opposed the statutory proposal to extend the President’s rule in J-K.

“Muslims in J-K decided to stay back in India due to its secular constitution. The worsening of the situation wasn’t due to the people of J-K but due to the interference of our western neighbour, due to Pakistan,” Hindustan Times quoted Congress leader Manish Tewari as saying.

Taking a dig at the Centre, Tiwari said the root cause towards the extension of the President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir every six months was the alliance of the PDP and the BJP in 2015.

The Congress also objected to the J-K Reservation Bill but asserted that it did not have any issues with the spirit of the Bill.

“Reservation Amendment Bill should have been introduced in the J-K Assembly. We object to the manner in which the reservation is being given,” Tiwari said.

Home Minister Amit Shah was in Jammu and Kashmir for two days where he reviewed the security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the upcoming 46-days long Amarnath pilgrimage that will begin on 1 July in South Kashmir.

Shah along with Governor Satya Pal Malik also held a review meeting over security and law and order situation in the state on Thursday.