Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 24: Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Prof Saifuddin Soz has opined that Kashmir Civil Society must come forward and take lead for the united struggle on Art 35-A.
In a press statement here today, former PCC chief said, ” The people of Kashmir have really arisen to the occasion on the question of Article 35A of the Constitution of India. Unfortunately, the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions have not revealed their ‘collective approach’ to this issue, although, Article 35A uniformly protects various rights of all the people of the State,” Soz said.
“Coming back to Kashmir, I see a situation that the general run of people here feel that Kashmiris must come forward for solidarity on this issue, cutting across party lines. But, then, the division in the approach has continued despite all people thinking about this Article in the same manner. While the Hurriyat Conference has announced a shut down on August 29, and senior political leader Farooq Abdullah has rightly called for a ‘united fight’, unfortunately, the exhibition of ‘One-up-Man-ship’ is there. Therefore, the concept of solidarity on this issue has already received a jolt. But, the approach can be corrected anytime, Prof Soz maintained.
Suggesting a workable via-media for it, veteran Congress leader said that certain members of the civil society in Kashmir are well known and both the Hurriyat Conference and the mainstream leadership know them. Some prominent members of the civil society could be identified and requested to organize an effective liaison between the Hurriyat and the mainstream parties. That alone seems to be a workable instrument for ensuring a ‘situation of being on the same page’ on this crucial issue.
Prof Soz further hoped that the Supreme Court of India must be seized with the implications of Article 35A of the Constitution of India and there is no need to be worried about the issue, at this stage.
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