SrinagarNational Conference President, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who chaired an all parties meeting on Article 35-A here on Tuesday, warned that the scrapping of the article will create a revolt far bigger than Amarnath Land row.
Dr Farooq Abdullah expressed anguish over what he called insensitive and dangerous approach towards J&Ks special status. He was referring to GOIs approach towards Supreme Courts recent decision on a PIL that called for abrogation of Article 35-A of Constitution of India.
While responding to media queries, Dr Farooq said, It is not just a Kashmir centric issue as they are trying to project it. The Article is as much important for Kashmiris as it is for people in Jammu and Ladakh. It was Maharaja Hari Singh who in 1927 had brought in the ownership laws of the state, for welfare of state subjects.”
Warning BJP and RSS of the dangerous consequences if Art 35-A is tinkered with, Dr Farooq said, This issue has the potential to further deteriorate the situation in our state and GoI will be squarely responsible for that.
The Amarnath land row agitation in 2008 was nothing as compared to the explosive repercussions it is bound to create in the state. I therefore call upon all like minded and well intentioned forces in the country to join hands and help us stop this RSS aggression, Farooq said while talking to reporters after the meet.
With the way things are moving at the centre viz a viz J&K special status, it seems a clear cut case of demographic change is in the making. BJP and RSS are working overtime to attack the autonomous nature of our state.
He pleaded that the Article must not be given a regional colour and reiterated that any fiddling with Art 35 A was not only dangerous but put a big responsibility on shoulders of those who have always worked in direction of keeping the state away from regional frenzy politics.
It was very important to discuss the issue of Article 35-A and its implications on the state, and all its three regions-Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, so that people understand as to why we are against its abrogation, which gives us the basic right and scrapping it will take away that basic right from us, Abdullah said.
We have decided that we will take the issue to the people as a united front. All parties in Jammu, Kashmir or Ladakh will try to make people understand effect of abrogation of the Article on the state. Abrogating article will affect all the people. We will go before the people and create awareness among them about its impact. People are the masters, he said.
Abdullah said that the CM of the state has made a statement that if Article 35-A is removed, she will quit the chair. I hope she stands by her statement.
He said that the state government did not put high class representation in the Supreme Court to defend the Article.
He said that the CM must go to every region of the state to explain the fallout of abrogating the Article.
She (Mehbooba Mufti) should make people aware because she has facilities to travel by air to reach to tell people and I think she does it, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Tarigami said that the opposition will reach out the all democratic voices in the country for protection of the article and identity of the state.
We have also decided to appeal the democratic voices and all credible sections of the society in the country to understand the dangers ahead and the serious implications of removing Article 35-A. This will be a dangerous move, dangerous for the state and as a country as a whole, he said.
The meeting was called by Dr Farooq day after he came from New Delhi at his Gupkar residence.
Thos who took part included NC working President Omar Abdullah, state Congress Chief G A Mir, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, Chairman PDF Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, DPN Chief Ghulam Hassan Mir, NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, senior NC leaders Chowdhary Ramzan, Shafi Uri and Devender Rana.
Firebrand opposition leader and MLA Engineer Rasheed was conspicuous by his absence.
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