‘Serious blow if J&K loses special status’

Former chief minister and working president of National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah on Monday put the BJP in his line of fire, accusing it of taking legal recourse via an NGO to abolish Article 35 A of the Constitution, which grants special status to citizens of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

“The BJP, which realised that it won’t be possible to get special status of the state revoked via Parliament and Assembly, adopted a discreet way to get it scrapped via an NGO in the SC.” he said while addressing the party’s local presidents.

The petition, filed by a Delhibased NGO, We the citizens, demanded that the Article 35A be held “unconstitutional” as the President could not have “amended the Constitution” by way of the 1954 order, and that it was only supposed to be a “temporary provision”.

Omar also apprised them about “serious” ramifications if the special status of the state ceased. The younger Abdullah said that if it was abolished, then state subject laws introduced by the erstwhile Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, shall also cease. “People from outside the state will come here and settle down. They will take away government jobs and scholarships. They will acquire land in the state and they will be speaking a language that won’t be understood by our people...” said Omar.

He said that his party will discuss options to join the legal battle against its scrapping.

Later responding to media queries, he slammed Hurriyat Conference and said since Hurriyat does not believe in the constitution of India, they have no business to comment on article 35A or its scrapping.