VHP for total integration of J&K with India, abrogation of Art 370

Excelsior Correspondent

VHP leaders at a press conference at Jammu on Tuesday.  —Excelsior/Rakesh
VHP leaders at a press conference at Jammu on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, July 19: Expressing grave concern over Kashmir unrest and observance of Black Day by Pakistan tomorrow in support of separatists and terrorists in Kashmir, VHP today said that it was high time for Government to abrogate Article 370 giving special Constitutional position to J&K so that there is total integration of the State with rest of India.
“Abrogation of Article 370 and total integration of J&K with rest of the country like other States of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana etc is the only solution to present turmoil in Kashmir’’, VHP State president Leela Karan Sharma told reporters along with Parishad’s vice president Rajesh Gupta and general secretary Shakti Dutt Sharma here today.
He said, this can send a clear message to separatists and their mentors across the border that India is not going to tolerate any interference in its internal affairs as granting of special Constitutional position to J&K has given a wrong signal among the detractors of the nation who over the years indulged in a game plan of separating Kashmir from rest of country and destabilizing India.
Sharma said the Indian Constitution should be in toto applied in the State and there should be no barrier for application of Centre laws to the State. Such a decision will automatically silence the voices of separatism in Kashmir valley as Article 370 was the root cause of all problems and present mess in the State.
He said for last 70 years we are claiming that Kashmir is an integral part of the country but this has not augured well with the nation’s detractors within and outside as they continued to hatch conspiracies to annex Kashmir since then. To silence them once for all India without wasting any moment should go for total integration of J&K with India, he added.
In response to a question that BJP is running a Coalition Government in the State with PDP and in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), the two parties have agreed not to touch the contentious issue like 370, Leela Karan Sharma said that he is not a representative of any political party and for the national unity and integration hundreds of Governments can be sacrificed.
He said repeating clichés like that Kashmir is integral part of India is not merely enough but some thing concrete needs to be done. Instead of applying balm repeatedly a major surgery needs to be done once for all.
He said instead of being afraid of Pakistan India should take strong measures to quell the separatism and crush the terrorists in Valley.