Srinagar, Dec 16: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha met Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah on Tuesday and submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting key constitutional, humanitarian, and administrative concerns impacting Jammu & Kashmir.

As per news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, NC MP’s comprising of Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, and Gurwinder Singh Oberoi met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

The memorandum, dated 15th December 2025, focused on three major issues, On humanitarian concerns for prisoners lodged outside J&K, the NC MPs expressed deep concern over the plight of families whose loved ones are lodged in prisons far from the Union Territory. They said thousands of families mothers, children, and elderly parents continue to suffer due to the long distances, financial burdens, and legal complications involved in visiting detainees.

The memorandum noted that many prisoners continue to remain incarcerated despite no serious charges being proven, adding that the continued lodging far from home amounts to punishment for poverty rather than guilt. The MPs urged the Union Home Minister to review the policy of sending prisoners outside J&K and to consider releasing those against whom no serious charges are established, emphasizing that Kashmiri citizens deserve dignity, justice, and compassion.

On restoration of full statehood, the MPs reminded the Home Minister of assurances given by both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister regarding the early restoration of full Statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. They referred to the Supreme Court judgment of December 11, 2023, which recognized these assurances and directed the completion of democratic processes, including elections, as a step toward restoring Statehood.

The memorandum stated that following elections and the formation of an elected government, the people of J&K expect the Centre to honor these assurances. The MPs emphasized that continued delay in restoring Statehood is causing democratic, administrative, and emotional distress, and urged the government to take clear, concrete, and time-bound steps to restore full Statehood in line with constitutional and judicial directives.

Notification of business rules, the MPs also raised concerns over the non-notification of Business Rules, which govern the functioning of the administration in J&K. They noted that the absence of these rules has led to ambiguity, overlap of authority, and uncertainty in governance, thereby undermining the authority of elected representatives and affecting public accountability.

They requested that the Business Rules be notified at the earliest, so that governance can be conducted smoothly, transparently, and in accordance with democratic norms and constitutional propriety.

The memorandum concluded that addressing these issues humanitarian justice, restoration of Statehood, and clear administrative rules is central to restoring trust, dignity, and democratic normalcy in Jammu & Kashmir.

The NC MPs urged the Union Home Minister to consider these concerns and take appropriate action at the earliest.

New Delhi, Dec 16: As the Lok Sabha reconvened on Tuesday, the opposition mounted a strong protest against the introduction of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), 2025, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The Opposition MPs raised objections over the renaming of the flagship rural employment scheme and demanded that the proposed legislation be referred to a parliamentary panel for detailed scrutiny.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced the Bill in the House, following which opposition members questioned the rationale behind removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from a landmark welfare scheme that has been in place for nearly two decades.

Leading the charge, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the government over its move to replace MGNREGA, warning that the new Bill could “weaken” the original Act’s guarantee of 100 days of employment for the poorest sections of society.

She also questioned what she described as the Centre’s “obsession” with renaming long-standing schemes.

“MGNREGA was such a revolutionary Bill that when it was introduced, it was applauded by all political parties. This Bill plays a key role in strengthening the rural economy and gives 100 days of employment on demand,” Priyanka said while speaking in the House.

She pointed out that the existing Act was demand-driven, with allocations rising in response to the number of people seeking work.

In contrast, she argued, the VB-G RAM G fixes allocations on a yearly basis and shifts additional financial pressure onto states, as only 60 per cent of the expenditure would be borne by the Centre.

“The fundamental principle of our Constitution is that power should be in the hands of every individual, and that same fundamental principle is present in the Panchayati Raj system. This Bill, this legislation that is being introduced, is against that fundamental principle. The provisions of this Bill, which weaken the right to employment, a legal right, are contrary to our Constitution,” Priyanka said.

Amid loud sloganeering and repeated interruptions from both sides of the House, she also made an emotional appeal while defending the legacy of the scheme’s name.

“Mahatma Gandhi was not from my family, but he is like family to me, and this is the feeling of the entire country,” she said.

While firmly opposing the introduction of the Bill, Priyanka suggested that the government withdraw the proposed legislation and bring in a revised version, which should then be referred to a special committee for wider consultation and examination.