BJP to scrap Article 370 if it comes to power: Venkaiah

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 3: BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu today said if the party happens to come to power with a clear mandate, it would scrap 370 Article of the Constitution, giving self-rule and autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Inaugurating ''Jana Samrakshna Yatra'' organised by the district unit of the party, he said the UPA government's proposal giving self-rule to Jammu and Kashmir amounted to ''treason''.

The BJP leader said it would also take all necessary steps to check the flow of foreign funds meant for religious conversion.

Regarding the Left protest against U S President George W Bush's visit to the country, he said it was not proper to protest when a head of nation visits the country in spite of differences of opinion.

The country had the tradition of reverence to a guest, he pointed out.

The Left parties, which support the UPA government from outside, were ''cheating'' the people by organising agitations when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was embracing the visiting US President, he added.

Coming down heavily on the Centre's move for a head count of Muslims in the Army, the BJP leader said it was part of the UPA government's ''minority appeasement policy'' and exhorted the people to resist such moves unitedly.

Mr Naidu said the performance of the BJP at the national level was promising as it performed well in the local body elections in Gujarat, Assembly elections in Bihar and in Karnataka also the party's position was quite comfort.

UNI