Modi Govt’s first rant unites divided parties

SRINAGAR: The bitter foes of Kashmir’s chronically divided polity have joined chorus against Narendra Modi government’s inaugural salvo against the Kashmir’s political sacred,  article 370 of Indian constitution. Dr. Jetindra Singh, a first-time MP from Udhampur who was handpicked by Modi for a role in PMO, on his first day in office disclosed that the new government had already initiated the process to abrogate the article 370 that  distinguishes J&K from other Indian states in terms of law enforcement and local land rights. Dr Jetindra, however, later clarified, saying the Prime Minster Modi had stated nothing about the issue, but he had by then stirred the hornet’s nest.

The ruling allies National Conference and Congress, opposition Peoples Democratic Party and a host of former interlocutors and Kashmir handlers of the former Congress-led regime have expressed anguish over the controversial rant by a little known BJP man.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said if anybody from India wants to abrogate article 370 he had to reconstitute the constituent assembly of 1949 in which the provision was ratified.

National Conference in statement took strong exception to Dr. Singh’s remarks. “We won’t allow anyone to toy  with Article 370 and will continue to defend this provision just like the party has safeguarded the State’s Special Status since 1947,” the party leader Nasir Aslam Wani said in a statement.

The statement claimed that the National Conference Wednesday had staged protests at all district headquarters across the Valley to protest against what it described as a provocative statement.

The ruling party has warned Modi government that such posturing could overshadow whatever goodwill Modi had earned by hosting SAARC leaders including Pakistan’s prime minister during the swearing in ceremony.

“These remarks have created a sense of uncertainty and anxiety within the State and that perception needs to be addressed without any delay”, Nasir Aslam said.

NC’s spokesman Junaid Mattu said that the people of J&K deserved to know “which political parties and individuals within the State are negotiating with a certain lobby in New Delhi about the attempted abrogation of Article 370. We demand that this nexus be openly declared and exposed without any further delay”

Indian National Congress’ J&K Chapter has also joined forces with National Conference to resent Dr. Singh’s statement. President of J&K Congress party Saifudin Soz Wednesday said, “those who seek a debate on the Article 370 of the Constitution of  India are making  a basic mistake  of not appreciating the fact that this  Article  is an integral part of the  basic structure of the Constitution of India and it can neither be amended nor abrogated by any authority in India, unless the people of Jammu and Kashmir themselves want it .”

Soz further said that for past few decades  the BJP had been harping on  three issues as their poll plank – Abrogation of Article 370,  adoption  of Common Civil Code and Construction of Ram Temple. “But soon after the elections are over they put these issues on back burner.”

Meanwhile chief of the state’s key opposition group Peoples’ Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday asserted that if New Delhi was willing to touch article 370 even for the sake of debate that was tantamount to asking people of Jammu and Kashmir what they want.

“Our position is that the state’s special status cannot be touched and if you do so then you are giving the people a choice and a chance of the same,” Mehbooba told a hurriedly convened press conference.

Mehbooba remarked further that Kashmir was the only part of the world where armed forces were present in such a huge number and that BJP should try to strengthen state’s special status rather than stressing for its erosion.

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