“Today J&K, tommorow Balochistan and PoK”: Shiv Sena on scrapping of Article 370

New Delhi, Aug 05: The Shiv Sena on Monday strongly backed the Union Government's decision to scrap Article 370 of the constitution which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Sena leaders celebrated the decision and even distributed sweets.

BJP's ally Shiv Sena termed scrapping of Article 370 as "a historic".

"Historic day for India. 370 scrapped and Jammu & Kashmir now truly a part of India. The path to a safer, progressive and an open J&K determined by citizens, and not anti national separatists has been paved," Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray tweeted.

"India has become independent in true sense today," Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was quoted as saying by PTI.

The BJP-led-government at the Centre on Monday decided to repeal Article 370 of the Constitution that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha that all provisions of Article 370 will be considered null and void.

"Aaj Jammu and Kashmir liya hai. Kal Balochistan, PoK lenge. Mujhe vishwaas hai desh ke PM akhand Hindustan ka sapna poora karenge. (Today we took Jammu Kashmir, tomorrow we will take Balochistan and PoK. I am sure PM Modi will make the dream of Akand Hindustan come true)," said Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

Shah's announcement in the Upper House came after meetings of the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NDA government has also decided to bifurcate the state into two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, which will have a legislature, and Ladakh, which will be without a legislature.

"I pray that now with the reorganisation of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh, the citizens there will benefit with peace, progress and prosperity, which was being held back from them for years due to its isolation from the rest of the country," another tweet by Aditya Thackeray said.

Shiv Sena activists celebrated outside Sena Bhavan on the removal of Article 370 by offering sweets to people in Mumbai.

BSP, BJD, YSRCP, Shiv Sena, AAP have extend support to the government's move.

AAP which generally opposes every move by the BJP surprisingly welcomed the move. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal said his party supports the Centre's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir.

Kejriwal's comments come hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved a resolution in both the Houses of the Parliament that Article 370 would not be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.

"We hope this will bring peace and development in the state," the chief minister tweeted.

Kejriwal said the AAP supports the Centre's move on Jammu and Kashmir. Bhagwant Mann is the AAP's only MP in the Lok Sabha, while it has three MPs -- Sanjay Singh, Sushil Gupta and N D Gupta -- in the Rajya Sabha.