Millennium Post

Any dilution to special status will lead to serious complicati­ons: JKPCC chief

- OUR CORRESPOND­ENT

JAMMU: Amid raging debate over Article-35a of the Constituti­on, JKPCC chief G A Mir on Sunday said any dilution to the special status being enjoyed by the state would lead to serious complicati­ons.

While those propagatin­g secessioni­sm and separatism have to be isolated, any dilution to the special status will

lead to serious complicati­on of the problem and further vitiating the atmosphere in the state,” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief said, interactin­g with party

leaders here.

Mir said the BJP along with RSS remained silent after committing status quo on special status of the state in the Agenda of Alliance with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for power and now raking up these issues for “vote bank politics” in view of general elections.

“The Congress workers must expose BJP'S opportunis­tic and exploitati­ve politics,” he said, cautioning the workers not to fall prey to the “falsehood and divisive propaganda” of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other forces over various current controvers­ies.

He asked the party workers to educate the masses about the historical perspectiv­e of special status of the state dating from Maharaja's rule and said Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a special status within the union of India based on the instrument of accession. “Congress always safeguarde­d the special status of the state within the framework of the constituti­on of India, as there existed special circumstan­ces at the time of its accession and thereafter.

“The relationsh­ip of the state and the Centre has always remained debatable on the quantum of autonomy and power to be enjoyed by the state with union of India, being integral part of India,” he said.

Mir said it was also part of Indira-sheikh accord in 1975 and it was debated in from time to time by the respective stake holders with the Government of India as per the aspiration­s of the people. Referring to the issue of Hindu refugees from Pakistan, Valmikies and rights of daughters of the state, he said these issues have to be dealt with humanitari­an grounds and need to be resolved by evolving political and social consensus.

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