Union Law Minister and Senior BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad on Monday asked the Congress to clarify whether it is standing with the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the issue of restoration of the Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.
“Sonia and Rahul tell clearly and categorically, are you with the demand for the restoration of the Article 370”, asked the law minister here at a press conference.
Politics around Article 370 is heating up with the union territory to undergo local bodies elections .BJP has deputed Minister of State for Finance, Anurag Thakur to win it the forthcoming Jammu Kashmir local body polls. Polls will be held from November 22 to December 28.
Hitting out at the Congress, Prasad demanded to know as to why the opposition party is backing ‘Gupkar declaration’ and the “anti-nationals” who are “seeking China’s help and are disrespectful to the National flag”. The Minister was referring to the recent comments of former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah & Mehbuba Mufti.
Prasad said Article 370 denied women, children, backward classes and SCs an STs their basic rights in the erstwhile state and the scrapping of which has now facilitated implementation of all “progressive central laws” in the J&K.
The BJP leader said prevention of corruption Act was not allowed to be implemented by the Article 370 with political leaders making merry with the state funds.
Women of the state marrying outside were denied property rights in the state which is now a Union territory, he said.
“Are ‘Gupkar alliance parties and the Congress aiming to take the state backward and deny people of the J & K their legitimate rights”?, asked Prasad.