‘Don’t fiddle with JK’s special status’

Mainstream camp tells Centre

 Various mainstream parties have expressed concern over the proposal of BJP government at the Centre to abrogate Article 370, saying the move is fraught with serious consequences.

NO POWER CAN REVOKE IT: CONGRESS
The state unit of Congress said no power can abrogate the Article. Senior Congress leader and Minister of Hajj and Auqaf, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed termed the special status as “a bridge between JK and India.”
“Any attempt to fiddle with it may not prove favorable for state-centre relationship. People of India should respect the people of JK and Article 370, guaranteed by the Constitution of India,” Peerzada said.
Congress MLC and vice-president GN Monga said, “I am sure BJP is well aware of the fact that any move aimed at tampering with Article 370 will open the question of JK’s accession. The Article is a bridge between JK and India. If the bridge falls, what is left?” he said.
“Central laws are extended to JK only through Article 370. BJP must know the contours of the Article and also the consequences that led Parliament to pass this law, which guarantees JK a special status,” Monga said.
Senior Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil said the party is committed to uphold and strengthen the special status of JK. “The party will oppose every small or big move to dilute Article 370. Some forces who are thinking of weakening or eroding this Article are inimical to peace and tranquility in the State,” Vakil said.

Will have serious consequences: AMM
The Awami Mutahida Mahaz discussed the issue in a meeting attended by Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Abdul Rashid Kabuli and Abdul Rehman Tukroo. 
“The meeting took strong exception to the remarks made by Dr Jatinder Singh, MoS PMO. In case of Jammu and Kashmir, the Article has a specific background which gives special status to the state given the circumstances in which the instrument of accession was signed. The AMM leaders observed that over the years the successive governments at the Centre eroded this Article which acts as a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country,” an AAM spokesman said in a statement.

CONDEMNABLE: AAP
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly condemned the statement of Dr Jitendra Singh. “It seems that Dr Jitendra Singh wants to be more loyal than the king by uttering such words. The PMO needs to clarify the statement made by the MoS,” AAP leader Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said.

NON-SERIOUS ISSUE: DULAT
Former chief of premier intelligence agency RAW and track-II diplomat, Amar Singh Dulat urged people and politicians of Kashmir not to take statements about the revocation of Article 370 seriously.
“There is nothing serious about it and nobody is going to revoke this Article,” Dulat told CNS adding the matter is being blown out of proportion.
“Modi only talked about having a debate on this issue when he was in Jammu. Article 370 is there and it is not going to be revoked,” Dulat said.
Accession would come into question: Padgounkar
Former interlocutor and journalist Dilip Padgounkar said that Instrument of Accession of Kashmir with India will automatically come into question if Article 370 is revoked. “I agree with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that Kashmir would cease to be part of India in case the Central Government revokes the Article,” Padgounkar said.

IT IS BRIDGE BETWEEN JK AND INDIA: ANC
President of Awami National Conference (ANC), Begum Khalida Shah, said Article 370 is the basis of J&K’s accession to India. “Any change to this fundamental law is going to challenge the very basis of accession,” Khalida said in a statement.

NC, PDP, Congress trying to mislead people: BJP
BJP leader Fayaz Ahmad Bhat hit out at National Conference, Congress and Peoples Democratic Party, accusing them of trying to mislead people over the statement of Dr Jitendra Singh. Bhat said these parties have made futile attempt to misinterpret the statement. “He had only said that discussion on Article 370 is fruitful but both NC and PDP are trying to misinterpret word ‘discussion,” he said.