Political parties in Kashmir have warned against attempts to abrogate Article 35-A of the Indian constitution that guarantees special privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. While the separatist groups called for a shutdown against such attempts on August 12 (Saturday), mainstream political leaders belonging to various parties also held a meeting chaired by opposition National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah.
Speaking on the occasion Abdullah said the scrapping of the article will “create a revolt far greater than Amarnath land row”.
“It was very important to discuss the issue of Article 35-A and its implications on the State, and all its three regions-Jammu, Kashmir and ladakh, so that people understand as to why we are against its abrogation. The article gives us the basic rights and scrapping it will take away that basic right from us,” Abdullah told reporters at his Gupkar residence after chairing the all party meeting. “It is a state subject law which should not be eroded at any cost,” he said.
The meeting attended by opposition leaders including JKPCC president G A Mir, CPM State secretary, MY Tarigami, Peoples Democratic Forum leader and legislator Hakeem Yaseen and Democratic Party Nationalist president Hassan Mir.
Abdullah said the Opposition political parties will form a united front and will create awareness among people about the implication of the abrogation of the article that has given the State and its three regions cultural identity.
“We have decided that we will take the issue to the people as a united front. All parties in Jammu, Kashmir or ladakh will try to make people understand effect of abrogation of the Article on the State. Abrogating article will affect all the people. We will go before the people and create awareness among them about its impact. People are the masters,” he said.
He said that it (State subject law was implemented) was done in the Maharaja (Hari Singh’s) time to prevent others coming in to dilute their culture.
Meanwhile, State law Minister Abdul Haq Khan said that the Government will defend the case in the Supreme Court with full vigour.
“We are contesting and defending the Article 35-A with full rigour and defense. We have engaged best constitutional expert in of the country, Fali Nariman, to contest the case in Supreme Court along with our Advocate General,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, Joint Resistance leadership (JRl), a union of three prominent separatist leaders called for a complete shutdown on Aug 12 (Saturday) against the possible abrogation of 35A and atrocities against South Kashmir people.
The JRl comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik in a joint statement said Kashmir has been turned into a killing field for several months and massacre of young unarmed Kashmiris has become the order of the day.
The leaders called for shutdown against “ongoing genocide of Kashmiris, onslaught against common people especially in south Kashmir and changing state subject law in Jammu Kashmir”.