‘If such a thing is pursued, we will ask the people to launch a vigorous agitation’
Srinagar: The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) on Monday said that after passing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law, ‘hectic’ efforts are underway to do away with special status by the government of India by challenging the Article 35A in the Supreme Court.
“While on one front, killing of youth, firing upon protestors and persecution of leadership continues through fabricated cases by NIA , on the other hand after the passing of GST that did away with the state’s fiscal autonomy, hectic efforts are now on to do away with the special status altogether by challenging Article 35A in the Indian Supreme Court,” JRL comprising of SAS Geelani. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said in a joint statement.
The statement added, “As this article bars non-state subjects to settle and buy property in J&K, the article is being challenged in court with the view to alter the demography of the state by settling people from outside the state, with the right to acquire land and property, and vote in the Assembly elections . It is being promoted as part of the “final solution” to the Kashmir issue by the Indian state led by the RSS.”
The Resistance leaders said that if such a thing is pursued, they will ask the people to launch a vigorous agitation.
“This is a very serious issue with serious ramifications. If any effort is made in this direction JRL will have to ask people to launch a vigorous agitation against this major ploy to change the basic character of the states special status, the consequences of which will be entirely on the ruling regime,” the leadership asserted.
The statement further pointed out, “Kashmir dispute is an internationally acknowledged conflict for which people of Kashmir for the past seven decades have given tremendous sacrifices and will continue to do so and every effort to undermine that fact by such ploys is unacceptable to the people of Kashmir who will oppose it tooth and nail.”
The leadership suggested instead of these ‘tactics’ GoI should work towards the resolution of the dispute.
“Instead of these tactics Govt of India should work towards the resolution of the dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and for a peaceful environment in the subcontinent.”
