Rajnath Singh's statement on article 35A, a positive development: Defence expert

While referring to Article 35A, Rajnath Singh had on Monday said the government will never take any step which will hurt the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence and strategic matters expert Qamar Agha has welcomed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on Article 35A and called it a positive development.

While referring to Article 35A, Rajnath Singh had on Monday said the government will never take any step which will hurt the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Agha told news agency ANI Article 35 A had become a very sentimental issue in J-K and the home minister's statement would help alleviate their feelings about the Centre.

"The people of J-K were very apprehensive that Centre would get away or dilute Article 35. Now they are assured," Agha said.

Rajnath also spoke about the permanent solution to Kashmir problem saying his outreach is based on Five Cs.

"The Five Cs of Kashmir outreach are 1-Compassion 2- Communication 3- Coexistence 4-Confidence Building & 5- Consistency," he said.

Singh is on a four-day visit to the state which comes at a time when the valley is experiencing agitation against attempts to abrogate Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives special rights to the permanent residents of the state.

The Supreme Court last month asked the Centre to file a reply within three weeks to a writ petition filed by an NGO seeking that Article 35A be struck down.

The PIL said the state government, under the guise of Article 35A and Article 370, which grants special autonomous status to the state, has been discriminating against non-residents.

OneIndia News