Several MPs and vice president of cantonment boards on Friday requested Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to form a panel to study the problems in cantonment areas, including enhancing the representation of elected members in the boards and amendment of "outdated" laws.
lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah said the Badami Bagh cantonment was one of the most "vulnerable" cantonments despite it not being near Pakistan border and was also under constant threat due to terrorism. "Most important thing is the security of the cantonment boards. Nowadays, we live in the world of terrorism. It can be anywhere and anyplace. We have to be very careful," he said.
He was speaking at an event at Raksha Sampada Bhawan where MPs from cantonment areas and vice president of cantonment boards were in attendance.Abdullah appreciated the suggestion by some speakers of forming a committee to look into the issues related to cantonment areas and submission of the report within six months.
He said the laws governing cantonment areas have been in place "since the days of the British" and called for their amendment to make them relevant in the current situation.
Abdullah also raised the issue of non-functioning of Parliament, saying, "Parliament did not run (in the Budget Session), I don't see it functioning in the future also while this term of this Parliament is on."