MP Congress divided over Diggy’s Article 370 remark
Party backs him ‘reluctantly’, brother voices different view
Congress veteran Digvijay Singh’s purported opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has divided his party in Madhya Pradesh.
While a section of the party defended him on the issue, albeit reluctantly, his brother and senior Congress leader Laxman Singh, however, countered him saying that “it is not possible to restore Article 370 in J&K now.”
The media wing chief of Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Narendra Singh Saluja, on Sunday, defended him saying that there was nothing wrong in the suggestion made by the veteran leader to review the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K by taking the views of the local people on the issue (if Congress returned to power at the Centre).
“Mr Digvijay Singh has rightly said that Congress should consider reviewing abrogation of Article 370 in J&K if the party returns to power at the Centre. In democracy, people’s views are taken on many issues. There is nothing wrong with it. BJP is unnecessarily making it an issue to divert public attention from the Centre’s failure to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the country,” he said.
He, however, hastened to add, “It is Mr Singh’s personal view. The issue has never been discussed at the party forum.”
Congress spokesman K.K. Mishra said the party should discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, Mr Singh sought to counter the BJP on the issue, saying that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also called for improvement of relations between India and Pakistan.
He said RSS has exhorted the Centre to cement ties with Pakistan while describing the neighbouring country as “our brother.”
“Will Mr Bhagwat be sent to Pakistan? Should the National Investigation Agency (NIA) initiate a probe against Mr Bhagwat (for batting for good relations with Pakistan)? Let NIA start an investigation against me and Mr Bhagwat,” Mr Singh quipped.