The Congress, along with some regional parties, on Monday vehemently opposed the Modi Government’s move to abolish the provision of the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, terming the decision as a “catastrophic step”.
Registering his protest in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Article 370 was historical as people of J&K joined India in 1947 after then Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession.
“I say that Maharaja Hari Singh didn’t choose Pakistan over India despite being of the same religion because he trusted in our secular framework. But, that trust has been broken,” Azad said.
“Lakh of people from the State, including political party leaders, sacrificed their lives to uphold the unity of India since then and revoking the Article is tantamount to ‘murder’ of the Constitution,” said Azad.
He said the entire Kashmir valley is under curfew and three former Chief Ministers of the State and political leaders have been arrested. He wanted the situation to be discussed first before the resolution was moved in Parliament.
Former Home Minister P Chidambaram said, “We anticipated a misadventure, but did not think in our wildest dreams that they will take such a catastrophic step. Today is a black day in the constitutional history of India.”
Former Law Minister Kapil Sibal pointed several flaws in the the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the current format and said it will fail the test of judiciary if challenged.
Azad said the Government had on Monday “cut off the head of India” and destroyed the history of J&K for votes.
Azad also threw the “tukde tukde” barb, long used by the BJP Minister and leaders, for bifurcating the State and making Jammu & Kashmir a Union territory. “They have not just scrapped Article 370, Article 35-A, but also divided the State. This Government has decapitated India. Jammu & Kashmir was the head of India... Jammu Kashmir ka tukde tukde kar diya (they have broken the State into pieces),” he said.
Saying that the decision, taken after the Government moved thousands of troops to the State and placed former CMs Omar and Mehbooba under house arrest, was like playing with the people of the State and a strategic misadventure in a border State.
“These people (the BJP) have come to power lately. They do not know... have not considered the strategic aspects... we have a long border with China, we have a border with Pakistan and with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir... to play around with border State, its people... it is being a traitor to the country,” Azad said. The Congress leader said the Government has to count on people’s cooperation in a border State and reminded that the people of Jammu & Kashmir, in 1947, had fought back the Pakistani intruders just armed with sticks. “In a border State, one cannot stop the enemy just with the help of the armed forces,” he said.
The Upper House witnessed pandemonium soon after Home Minister Amit Shah moved the resolution repealing Article 370. While several Opposition parties, including the Congress and Left, rushed into the Well raising slogans and then squatted down there for considerable time charging the ruling combine of “murder” of Constitution, two PDP members were removed from the House by marshals after one of them tore the copy of Indian Constitution and his clothes.
As soon as the Home Minister made the announcement about the Bill soon after the Rajya Sabha met for the day, the House saw massive uproar from parties including the Congress, DMK, Left parties, TMC, AAP and NCP.
Several Opposition members later in their presentations also echoed similar views and feared repeal Article 370 will lead to Palestine like situation in the years to come.
PDP member Mohammad Fayaz tore his clothes after rushing into the Well while his party colleague Nazeer Ahmed Laway tore the copy of the Indian Constitution. Vijay Goel (BJP) tried to dissuade him to do so and asked chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to order that they be physically removed. When the House met, Venkaiah said he had used his discretionary powers to waive the requirement of the Government to give advance notice and circulate a Bill as the issue was of urgent national importance. Amidst din raised by the Opposition, Venkaiah asked to re-introduce the resolution. But the introduction was opposed by Congress, TMC and DMK members who along with leaders in the House rushed into the Well. Azad, along with his party members, TMC, RJD and others then squatted. Participating in the discussion, Vaiko(MDMK) said the Government was killing democracy while opposing the resolution and expressed concern that conditions in the State will be akin to South Sudan or Kosovo. Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD)also aired same concerns and cautioned the situation may turn like Palestine.
T K Rangarajan(CPM) termed the move as rape of Constitution and some BJP members objected to the remark. Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said the resolution was unconstitutional.