Politics

Time to bid goodbye to Article 370, revoke Article 35-A: BJP  

‘Both the Articles have created a ‘separatist emotion’, hampered progress and development: State’s BJP Spokesman

Jammu: Virendra Gupta, the state’s BJP spokesman on Thursday said that time has the people of the state should bid goodbye to Article 370 and Article 35-A.

While blaming the Articles for creating a ‘separatist emotion’ which accord special status to the state, he said, “Both these articles, instead of being beneficial to the people of the state, have done a great damage and hamper progress and development,” said Gupta.

He added, “The time has come when the people of Jammu and Kashmir should say goodbye to Article 370 and ask the Government of India to revoke Article 35-A.”

He further added, “The prevailing situation in the Valley shows that Article 370 has created a separatist psyche and acts as a breeding ground for separatist emotion”, Gupta said.

Gupta also pointed out that the Article 370 has ‘alienated’ people of Kashmir and has taken them away from the main stream.

“The Article is responsible for keeping the settled issue of Jammu and Kashmir alive, motivated and encourages the separatists and external forces to interfere in the internal matters of India and challenge the integrity of the country, he said.

He added, “Article 370 has led to increasing alienation of the people of the Valley from India and in taking them away from the national mainstream.”

While alleging that the Aricle has been used for vested political interests, Gupta said that despite huge funds from the centre, the state is undeveloped. He also said that industrialists and business houses hesitate to come to the state which results in unemployment and migration of skilled youth to other states.

“Academicians and experts from the rest of the country are discouraged because of the Article to contribute in the educational growth of the state”, he claimed.

Gupta alleged that Article 370 is also responsible for widening the mistrust and alienation between the people of the Valley and those of Jammu and Ladakh regions.

He called upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir to also look into the utility of Article 35-A claiming it was “most discriminatory” and differentiated between men and women with regard to their rights as citizen of the state.

The ruling PDP is in an alliance with the BJP in the state.

Earlier Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue and is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister on Friday.

She had, a couple of days ago warned that if the special status of the state is tinkered with, there would be no one in the valley to hold the tri-colour.

 

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