Opposition in J&K call for special session on Article 35A

The MLAs said deletion of Article 35A "will prove disastrous for the entire state and will have very unforeseen dangerous consequences".

Srinagar, Aug 20: Asserting that any attempt to abrogate the constitutional provision would lead to serious consequences in the state, CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami and Independent MLA Hakim Yaseen on Sunday demanded a special session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to discuss repealing of Article 35A.

"It is imperative to call a special session of the state legislature to discuss crucial issue of Article 35A without any delay so that a strong response could be put before the Supreme Court by the state government," Tarigami and Yaseen said in a joint statement here.

They said the government should convene a special assembly session to discuss the crucial issue. The two MLAs alleged that the "conspiracy" to remove Article 35A is essentially the "agenda of communal, divisive and anti-democratic forces" who want to thrive on uncertainty, discord, hatred and turmoil.

"The state government should take the case very seriously, contend it in the Supreme Court vigorously and should not depend on hollow assurances by the Centre," they said.

Tarigami and Yaseen said the observation of Attorney General K K Venugopal in the Supreme Court, that the issue needs wider discussions, has created apprehensions in the minds of people in the state about the intentions of the BJP-led NDA government.

"It is a matter of anguish that the present ruling parties at the Centre who should have adopted a flexible and positive approach in dealing with the Kashmir problem have opted for an obscurantist and rigid approach and are trying to deny even the status quo," they added.

The MLAs said deletion of Article 35A "will prove disastrous for the entire state and will have very unforeseen dangerous consequences".

"At this juncture, all the broad minded and democratic forces including political parties, intelligentsia and the civil society at large, should put their heads together, discuss the situation intensively and launch a concerted struggle against this mischief," they said.

PTI