HYDERABAD, Dec 3: Keeping the unity and integrity of the country and its national interest in view, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today vouched for ‘revisiting’ the continuance of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr Naidu said, ‘ There is every need to revisit the Article through an enlightened debate whether it is helpful for the people of Jammu and Kashmir or outside. ‘
‘ Though the J&K is wholly dependent on the Union Government fund not only to meet plan expenditure but also non-plan expenditure, different Constitution and rules prevail in the state, ‘ he pointed out.
‘ The President cannot declare a state of emergency in J&K without the permission or request of the state government. Since 1953, the Centre’s power has been extended to J&K on many aspects, but continuance of Article 370, adopted during the time of our first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, has created a plethora of problems, ‘ he opined adding, ‘ The Article is the root cause of all the problems in Jammu and Kashmir. ‘
‘ Article 370 is included in the Part XXI of the Constitution (Temporary, Transitional and Special provisions) and starts with a heading – ‘Temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir’, ‘ he stated.
Mr Naidu said, ‘ Neither is there any dilution nor deviation of the BJP’s stand on Article 370. We are firmly committed to abrogation of the said Article. ‘
‘ If one goes through the constituent Assembly debates, it is clear that our first Prime Minister firmly said his special provision was intended as temporary measure in the Constitution and assured that the Article will erode over time and J&K will indeed be integrated wholly with the Indian Republic in the same way as all the other princely states, ‘ he commented.
The separate statute didn’t bring the needed integration and on the other hand, it had created a feeling of separation, Mr Naidu alleged and said it had affected fundamental rights of the people with regard to right to hold property, right to citizenship and right to settlement.
‘ The Indian citizen doesn’t automatically become a citizen of J&K as the laws made by Indian Parliament doesn’t extend automatically to J&K, ‘ he said.
‘ As per the Article, migrated West Pakistan people after partition, who took refuge in J&K, are entitled to vote for Lok Sabha election but are not entitled to vote for Assembly elections in J&K, ‘ he pointed out.
Mr Naidu said, ‘ We are not surprised over the panic reaction of our political opponents on the suggestion made by BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi seeking wider debate on the Article 370, because they are sure they will be exposed of their past sins. ‘
‘ Discussing the Article 370 would also have compelled our politicians and and intellecuals to discuss about the need for J and K to have its own Constitution. So far, the country’s political and educated class have also shied away from discussing it for fear of being labelled anti-muslim and communal, ‘ he averred.
‘ Nehru had messed up Kashmir and Sardar patel did a great job by liberating Hyderabad from tyranny of Nizam, ‘ he said adding, ‘ Rank communalist and pseudo-secularists could only call Sardar as communalist. Sardar has done a great job in the unification of India. ‘
‘ Keeping the unity and integrity of the country, there is every need to revisit Article 370 through a wider debate across the country, ‘ he demanded.
(UNI)
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