J&K may sever ties with India if Article 370 scrapped: Mehbooba

Srinagar, Mar 30: In her most aggressive remark on the issue of Article 370, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said Article 370 was a bridge between the Union and the state and if the special provision of the Constitution was revoked, then New Delhi would have to "renegotiate" its relationship with Jammu and Kashmir.

Her remarks came days after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley advocated repeal of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and said Article 35A, which restricts non-permanent residents to buy property in Jammu and Kashmir, is "constitutionally vulnerable" and also hampering economic development of the state.

"Jaitley must understand this. It is not an easy thing to say. If you scrap (Article) 370, your relation with J-K will be over," Mehbooba told party workers at her residence in Srinagar, according to reports.

The former chief minister and PDP chief said in case Article 370 is revoked, Jammu and Kashmir will have to rethink whether it wants to stay with India. "Because if you have given us a special position in the Constitution of India and you break that position, then we will have to rethink whether we would even want to stay with you without conditions," she said.