Raising the pitch over the contentious issue of Article 370, National Conference provincial president (Jammu region) Devender Singh Rana on Thursday alleged that Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founding member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, was anti-India, anti-Jammu & Kashmir as he had signed the agreement along with other senior members of the Constituent Assembly at the time of framing the Constitution of India.
Referring to the debates of the Constituent Assembly, Rana claimed this constitutional proviso had full endorsement of even Mookerjee. “In his capacity as a member he never opposed the Article 370 and became a signatory to the Constitution. How can they wish away this historical fact while generating passions over the issue,” Rana told reporters while addressing a Press conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan.
Referring to his participation in a seminar on the issue of Abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu recently Rana said, “When I was speaking against the Abrogation of Article 370 people from the audience stood up and tried to silence my voice. They even labeled me anti-India, anti-Hindu and anti-J&K. We are not. It was Mookerjee who was anti-India, anti-Jammu as he was one of the signatories of the agreement.” Rana claimed the seminar was attended by BJP leader Meenakshi lekhi as well.
He said the Article 370 is part of the Indian Constitution which has come into force after detailed and threadbare discussions by stalwarts like Sardar Patel, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Gopalaswami Ayyangar, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Mirza Afzal Beig and Moti Ram Baigda.
Inviting all stakeholders to participate in the debate over the issue Rana said, “We are not shying away from deliberating over this issue.” We are ready to the hit the streets and throw facts before the people to clear the air. It is for the people to accept us or reject us but we are ready to go to the people.
He reiterated stand of the NC claiming Article 370 is a bridge between Jammu & Kashmir and rest of the country and cannot be abrogated.