PDP-BJP on collision course as Art 35A stirs a hornet’s nest

JAMMU: Ideologically poles apart, the two allies — People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that run a coalition government in Jammu & Kashmir seem to be on a collision course yet again — this time over Article 35 A.

While National Conference, PDP and other Kashmir-centric parties besides separatists are up in arms against attempts to abolish Article 35 A, the state unit of Congress has been playing “safe” at the moment.

In a surprise move, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti drove to the residence of former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Tuesday to meet him over the issue vis-à-vis attempts to abrogate it.

Mehbooba has already warned that “nobody will even carry the corpse of the national flag in Kashmir if special status of the state is tampered with.”

The BJP has condemned Mehbooba’s remarks, saying that Article 35A is “not a sacred cow that can’t be touched”. Both Articles 35A and 370 (granting special status to Jammu & Kashmir) were meant to be temporary, the party has argued.

Farooq Abdullah has also threatened uprising in Kashmir, saying scrapping of the Article 35 A may plunge the state into “much worst violence than Amarnath land row” in 2008.

Ridiculing the threatening postures being adopted by Abdullah and others in Kashmir, former Union minister professor Chaman Lal Gupta said, “It was unfortunate that certain elements are trying to further vitiate the atmosphere of the troubled Valley.”

He said, “A Constitutional issue has been raised by some legal experts in the court, but instead of putting up their views before the court of law, attempt is being made to arouse certain unhealthy sentiments”.

State Congress president Ghulam Ahmed Mir on Wednesday said every Congressman was “promise-bound” to defend various safeguards and privileges to Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters here at the party headquarters on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, he, however, was prompt to remind that the matter is sub-judice in the apex court.

“But our party will reach out to the people of the state to educate them on pros and cons of Article 35A”, he added.

The Article 35 (A) is being challenged in the Supreme Court by an NGO, We the Citizens, on grounds that it was not added to the Constitution through amendment under Article 368. It was never presented before Parliament and came into effect immediately, the group has argued.