The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or the RSS, has hit out at Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for his grim warning that his state will not remain a part of India if Article 370 was revoked from the Indian Constitution.
“J&K won’t b part of India? Is Omar thinking its his parental estate? 370 or no 370 J&K has been n will always b an integral part of India (sic),” tweeted RSS national executive member Ram Madhav.
The RSS leader also defended union minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh, who triggered a first-rate controversy on his inaugural day in office by reopening the debate on the Constitutional provision that bestows special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and is the only instrument governing relations between the Union of India and the state.
Mr. Singh, a doctor by profession, has made his debut in the Lok Sabha by wresting the Udhampur seat from the Congress.
“The minister has merely reiterated the party line. He has called for a debate on the usefulness, or otherwise, of Article 370. Attempts to create a needless political controversy are uncalled for,” Mr. Madhav said.
Mr. Abdullah had attacked Dr Singh’s remarks on Article 370 as being “ill-informed and irresponsible.” He took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to register his protest. “Mark my words & save this tweet – long after Modi Govt is a distant memory either J&K won’t be part of India or Art 370 will still exist (sic),” he said.
The chief minister also rejected the Union minister’s clarification, issued last night, that he had been “misquoted,” and demanded an explanation from “higher-up.”
Mr. Abdullah continued with his attack on the BJP today, describing as “extremely dangerous” its efforts to seek the revocation of Article 370. He argued that only way to scrap the provision was on the back of the body called Constituent Assembly. “This is the body that ratified the relationship of Jammu and Kashmir with India,” he said, adding, “If you were to recall the Constituent Assembly, you would be reopening the debate on the Instrument of Accession.”
