Article 370: Leaders oppose repealing of special autonomous status granted to J & K
Lucknow/Patna/Bathinda: BSP surpemo Mayawati urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to take any step in haste on Article 370 as it might affect "unity and integrity" of the country.
"Even if Centre feels it necessary to repeal Article 370 in the interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir, no decision should be taken in haste that might affect unity and integrity of the country," Mayawati told reporters on Friday.
She alleged that controversy on Article 370 was generated only to create polarisation among people on the lines of community and religion.
Refusing to clarify her party's stand on the issue, Mayawati said the Centre should first clarify its policy in this regard.
Simultaneously, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi criticised the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for raking up the issue of scrapping of Article 370 of the
Constitution providing special status to Jammu & Kashmir and said it would have an adverse impact on the country.
"Nowadays discussion on removal of Article 370 is going on. Ending Article 370 will have adverse impact on the country," Manjhi said addressing a public reception hosted in his honour at Gaya on Thursday evening.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had made sacrifices to form India by merging thousands of princely states, he said. Like his predecessor Nitish Kumar, the new Bihar CM justified the breaking of ties of JD(U) with BJP.
"We had tie-up with BJP on the basis of agreement on fundamental issues like not touching Article 370, common civil code will not be implemented and Ayodhya dispute would be solved either through mutual discussion or on the basis of court order," Manjhi said.
"But when BJP violated the agreement and raked up these disputed issues for sake of principle, we broke with BJP," Manjhi added.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also appealed to the Centre to take all political parties in confidence before making any move on such sensitive issues.
"The decisions on issues like Article 370 should not be taken in haste," the chief minister told reporters.
Advocating amicable solution for issues like Article 370, Badal said, "an experienced and visionary leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a call on such issues only after due consultation with the entire political leadership of the country."
Meanwhile, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said a controversy is "unnecessary" at a time when the new government is yet to take over completely.
"Nothing can vitiate the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an 'integral part' of India and it always will be," said Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Defence.
"At a time when the new government is yet to completely take over the routine functioning in the office, any controversy around Article 370 seems unnecessary," he added in his facebook post.
Singh, who also holds the portfolio of Planning, Statistics and Programme Implementation, made the comments against the backdrop of a controversy triggered by Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO.
Jitendra Singh had said that the Modi government had initiated discussions with stakeholders for abrogation of Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The comment had evoked sharp reaction from parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Joining the discourse, another union minister Radha Mohan Singh has said yesterday that there should be an open debate on Article 370 and common civil code.
"There is no harm in having an open debate on issues like Article 370 and a common civil code. Why should we shy away from weighing their pros and cons?" said the Agriculture Minister in reply to a question at his first press conference after assuming office.
