Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that she has requested her political archrival Farooq Abdullah to convene an All-Party Meet to protect the state’s special status.
“In light of recent developments that have caused asense of panic amongst people in J&K, I’ve requested Dr Farooq Abdullahsahab to convene an all party meeting. Need of the hour is to come together& forge a united response. We the people of Kashmir need to stand up asone,” she said in a tweet.
However, NC vice- president Omar Abdullah responded bysaying that the party was making efforts to understand the intentions of thecentral government for the state.
“Before calling senior leaders from other parties inJ&K to discuss the current situation it’s important to try to understandfrom the Central Govt about their intentions for the state & also how theysee the situation at the moment. This is what @JKNC_ is focused on,” hetweeted.
There has been utter confusion in Kashmir during the lastfew days after media reports that the Central government was most likely toscrap the Constitution’s Article 35A that gives the state legislature the powerto define the permanent residents of the state.
Social media sites are awash with rumours that the announcementto scrap Article 35A is likely to be made soon.
People are storing rations, medicines, pulses, fuel forvehicles and all other essentials in apprehension of a spell of uncertaintylikely to follow the abrogation of Article 35A.
While the Governor’s administration has been asking peoplenot to heed these rumours, there is no categoric word either from New Delhi orSrinagar on the fate of the provision.