Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the upper house of the parliament today at 11 am to end the circulating rumours and anxiety of the citizens in the country, pertaining to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In a remarkable and unprecedented move, Amit Shah introduced a constitutional amendment bill in the parliament, aiming to remove the article 370 of the constitution as well as proposing the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Article 370 had increasing become the bone of contention between the state of J&K and the rest of the country. The article has paved way for the amendment of the constitution which has given rise to article 35A, giving the state of J&K special privileges and discriminating against the rest of the citizens.
However, the J&K leaders at the state level are less than happy. They have come out expressing their scorn and angst at the centre’s decision. For these set of individuals, a step towards ensuring equality and integration for the people of J&K is unthinkable.
Topping the list is PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. Since the announcement, she has bombarded twitter with a list of tweets.
“What did J&K get for acceding to India? Another partition along communal lines? Our special status isn’t a gift bestowed upon us. Its a right guaranteed by the same parliament. A contract entered into by J&K leadership & India. Today the very same contract has been violated”
What did J&K get for acceding to India? Another partition along communal lines? Our special status isn’t a gift bestowed upon us. Its a right guaranteed by the same 🇮🇳 parliament. A contract entered into by J&K leadership & India. Today the very same contract has been violated
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
“Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.”
Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
“It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises.”
It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
“People like us who placed faith in Parliament, the temple of democracy have been deceived. Those elements in J&K who rejected the constitution & sought resolution under the UN have been vindicated. This will exacerbate the alienation Kashmiris feel.”
People like us who placed faith in Parliament, the temple of democracy have been deceived. Those elements in J&K who rejected the 🇮🇳 constitution & sought resolution under the UN have been vindicated. This will exacerbate the alienation Kashmiris feel.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
NC leader Omar Abdullah, whose ancestors essentially created article 370 in the constitution has seemingly spared social media but has expressed his displeasure through a statement.
He stated, “GOI’s unilateral and shocking decisions today are a total betrayal of the trust that he people of Jammu & Kashmir had reposed in India when the state acceded to it in 1947.” He further continued, “The scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A raise fundamental questions on the state’s accession because that was done on the very terms enunciated in these articles.” In the end he concluded, “A log and tough battle lies ahead. We are ready for that.”
Leader of the opposition from Congress and former CM of J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad also opposed the move by Modi government to remove article 370 from the constitution. Referring to it as a “historic article”, he said that it is through this article that J&K was acceded to India and over the period of 70 years, lacks of people including army personnel, leaders and civilians have been martyred to keep J&K integrated with India. He stated that BJP today has murdered the constitution.
Soon after the announcement by Amit Shah, ruckus broke out in the Rajya Sabha. 2 PDP leaders, Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway, MPs from Kashmir, attempted to tear the constitution in the Rajya Sabha, following which Chairman Venkaiah Naidu had to call in marshals to remove the two leaders from the House.
All these leaders are perturbed stating that the article was enacted in the constitution and that somehow removing it has breached India’s promise to the Kashmiris. Perhaps Mehbooba Mufti and others have failed to read the wordings of the very article they seek to protect, which clearly states, “Temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir”.
J&K integration with India took place in October 1947. Article 370 came into force in 1952, Article 35A came in 1954, four and seven years later respectively. How can Articles 370 and 35A be a condition precedent to merger?
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 5, 2019
A historical wrong has been undone today. Article 35A came through the back door without following the procedure under Article 368 of the Constitution of India. It had to go.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 5, 2019
Arun Jaitley also wrote, questioning the validity of the ‘promises made to Kashmir’ argument, stating that Jammu and Kashmir was acceded far before the misogynistic, anti-minority (in J&K) provisions came into being. He also pointed out that such provisions fueled separatism apart from having been incorporated without following the procedure under Article 368 of the constitution. These temporary provisions are now repealed irrespective of the J&K leaders, left liberals and intellectuals threatening the Indian government for taking this step. Modi government has ensured that Article 370 and 35A cease to exist in the constitution for the better.
