National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana on Saturday said impact of abrogating Article 35-A will have more impact in Jammu than in Kashmir and Ladakh regions, even as people will resist the move tooth and nail.
In a statement, Rana said: “The relevance of Article 35-A is more crucial now than never ever in the past 90… more than Kashmir and Ladakh regions, Jammu will face the main brunt in the event of scrapping Article 35-A, as the jobs and business avenues will be usurped by the settlers from outside, in view of the close proximity of this region with the negibouring states”.
He added that any attempt to weaken or scrapping the permanent residence laws would render the locals of Jammu as “second class citizens”.
Rana cautioned against any tinkering with Article 35-A.
“As Dogra identity will be at peril, the people of Jammu, irrespective of caste, creed and religion will fight tooth and nail to uphold this constitutional proviso,” he said.
Rana accused BJP of conniving with fake state subject holders to get Article 35-A repealed.
He added BJP is negating “far-sight and political sagacity” of Dogra Maharaja who had brought state subject laws in 1927 to save Dogras from continuous subjugation of affluent businessmen from outside the state.