All parties except BJP support Article 35A

BJP LEADERS SAY THAT THEY WILL ABIDE BY THE COURT’S DECISION

SRINAGAR :All mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have openly come out in support of Article 35-A, while the BJP leaders say that they will abide by the court’s decision. A petition challenging Article 35-A’s constitutional validity is coming up for hearing in the court on Monday amid fears in the state that the BJP was planning to revoke the provision to change demography of the state.

J&K Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the Congress is for strengthening Article 370 and 35-A. “Article 370 is the only strongest bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country while 35-A is its soul. If soul is removed then Article 370 will become useless,’’ he said adding that the Congress will make all efforts to strengthen these ties. “We will stand with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on this issue and don’t want Article 370 to become useless.’’the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was running coalition government till June has asked all mainstream and separatist parties to come together to defend the case in the Supreme Court.

Tanvir Sadiq, senior NC leader and political secretary to former CM Omar Abdullah, said removal of this article will harm people of Ladakh and Jammu as it will allow the outsiders to buy land here. Even CPI (M) general secretary, Mohammed Yusuf Targami a legislator from Kulgam has filed an application in the apex court urging it to make him a part, so that he could defend the case.

“People of India should obey the court’s decision whatever it might be. The PDP, NC has been changing statements, but we will abide by the court’s decision,” BJP general secretary Ashok Kaul said.