The Modi government has announced the scrapping of Article 370 which provides special status to Jammu & Kashmir. The historic decision was announced by Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. A proposal also has been made to divide Jammu & Kashmir with J&K becoming a union territory with legislature and Ladakh becoming a union territory without legislature. Shah’s announcement was immediately followed by a massive uproar in the Rajya Sabha with opposition MP’s protesting in the well of the House. Security has been tightened in Jammu & Kashmir and prominent politicians Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone under house arrest. Internet and mobile services were blocked in several places and section 144 was imposed in Srinagar as all public gatherings have been banned.
NCP MP and Advocate Majeed Memon told Afternoon Voice, “The government should have revoked Article 370 by taking into confidence local administration and stakeholders. They should not have taken this decision in the absence of local government.”
Political parties BJP, YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK, Shiv Sena and BJD have supported the central government’s decision to scrap article 370. BJD MP Prasanna Acharya has said, “In the real sense today, Jammu & Kashmir has become a part of India. My party supports this resolution. We are a regional party and for us nation is first.”
Aam Aadmi Party too extended support to the centre’s decision to revoke Article 370. AAP president Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “We support the government on its decision on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.”
We support the govt on its decisions on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 5, 2019
The Article 370 was scrapped through Constitution (Application through Jammu & Kashmir) order 2019 signed by President Ram Nath Kovind. On the other hand, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah targeted the Modi government accusing it of muzzling the voice of the people of Kashmir. Indian Army and Indian Air Force have been put on high alert after revoking Article 370 and other decisions announced by the government.
Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray stated that wish of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Bal Thackeray has been fulfilled. Uddhav Thackeray congratulated Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and said that other parties should think about the country instead of worrying about political gains.
On the other hand, the Congress opposed to the scrapping of article 370. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “BJP has murdered constitution.”
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram stated by bringing a resolution on Article 370 the disintegration of India has begun. He said, “The government has illegally disintegrated J &K and this has set a precedent and allow the govt to disintegrate any state as per his will and we will not stand by this.”
Yogendra Yadav tweeted, “Today’s decision violates all the principles invoked by Vajpayee insaniyat, jamhuriat, kashmiriyat. The unconstitutional move plays into the hands of separatists and Pak sponsored terrorists, besides reneging on the idea of India and promise to the people of Kashmir.”
Today’s decision violates all the principles invoked by Vajpayee: insaniyat, jamhuriat, kashmiriyat.
This unconstitutional move plays into the hands of separatists and Pak sponsored terrorists, besides reneging on the idea of India and the promise to the people of Kashmir.
— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 5, 2019
