CPI (M) senior leader M Y Tarigami and chairman of Peoples Democratic Front Hakeem Yaseen on Friday reacted sharply to the statement of Union Finance Minister and the BJP leader Arun Jaitley that Article 35A is “constitutionally vulnerable and is an impediment to the economic development of Jammu and Kashmir.”
In a statement here Tarigami said that it reveals the real intentions of the BJP vis-à-vis special status of the state. “They (BJP) are misrepresenting the constitution and the state.
Why don’t BJP leaders come open and say whatever laws were passed by the then ruler of the state Maharaja Hari Singh were wrong? State subject law was passed by the Maharaja in 1927 and it was incorporated in the Constitution through negotiations and carried forward. Is there anything new which the BJP wants to scrap?”
“If the Article 35-A is deleted from the Constitution, theaccession of the state with the Union of India is liable to bejeopardised. Article 35-A is not theonly provision in the Constitution of India in its application to the State ofJammu and Kashmir, which has been added by the President by a PresidentialOrder issued under Article 370 (1),” he added.
HAKEEM YASEEN
The PDF Chairman Hakeem Yaseen said that statement of UnionFinance Minister, Arun Jaitley against Article 35A is a “political gimmick”aimed at hoodwinking electorate during the current parliamentary elections.”The statement has caused a wide spread anger and unrest among the state’speople, for which Jaitley should immediately tender apology.”
“Article 35A is the jugular vein and life line of the peopleof the state which guarantees security to their unique and distinguishedidentity and valued dignity. Jaitley should know that when there is one’shonour at stake, economy and money don’t matter,” he added.