JKNPP demands amendment in article 370 to resolve J

Jammu, Mar 23 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party(JKNPP) President Bhim Singh has urged the Centre to amend article 370 of the constitution giving special status to the state to resolve the Kashmir problem.

Prof Singh , addressing mediapersons here today suggested the government amend the article in particular to make the Parliament empowered to legislate on J&K as per the Instrument of Accession signed by the then Maharaja of the state Hari Singh, accepting defence, foreign affairs, communication and currency as responsibilities ties of the Union Government. He said at present any law enacted by Parliament is not applicable to J&K, and amending the article would help the centre to tackle the Kashmir issue on external front.

Prof Singh also suggested the government to create Jammu , Ladakh and Kashmir regions of the state into three statutry regional councils by enacting an amendment to the article. This will not only enable state of its overall development but help the government to tackle the internal conflict also.

He announced the party will hold protests and give arrests on May 4 at Kishtwar, May 7 at Samba, May 11 at Reasi and May 15 at Jammu on the issues relating to fulfilment of promises made by the Congress and People's Democratic Party coalition to the people before the assembly elections, rehabiliation of people of Kashmir valley and Doda, Poonch, Rajouri region of Jammu and implementation of Wazir commission report on delimitation/creation of new districts in Jammu region.

He welcomed the intitiatives taken by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh towards the release of persons detained in jails in militancy-related cases and added that decision by the joint review committee to release the 40 such detenues must be looked into and the state government be kept away from scrutiny of such cases.

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