Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Jammu State Morcha, Dogra Front, Shiv Sena and several other organisations have reacted strongly to the statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and others on Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
Jammu State Morcha leader Prof Virender Gupta said that if the Kashmiri leadership wanted to retain the Article 370, then let the state be trifurcated into separate states of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir, and keep this article applicable only to Kashmir and free Jammu and Ladakh region from the Kashmiri domination.
The people of Jammu region and that of Ladakh have been victim of extreme discrimination at the hands of Kashmiri leadership and leading the life of a second class citizens of the State. The Article 370 has provided political domination to the Valley on Jammu and Ladakh regions. The people of these two regions were not taken into confidence on the issue of incorporation of Article 370 in Indian Constitution and their wishes were all together ignored. As a result there were great agitations both in Jammu province and Ladakh region against Article 370 and separate constitution of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Prof Gupta said that the Kashmiri leadership of NC and PDP seems to have become panicky on holding discussions and debates on the merits and de-merits of Article 370 and therefore, threatening for seceding from Indian Union as if it is the sole custodian of whole of Jammu and Kashmir State. The accession of Jammu and Kashmir State with Indian Union was because of the Instrument of Accession signed by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir State and not because of Article 370 which was incorporated in the Indian constitution by the Indian constituent Assembly later. Thus the accession of the State is not linked with Article 370. Whether Article 370 exists or not, the accession of J&K with India is irrevocable. JSM leader advised Omar Abdullah to read the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and that of Indian Constitution and also have the knowledge of developments that took place after 1947.
Dogra Front and Shiv Sena leaders in a statement have alleged that Jammu and Kashmir based politician are befooling people over Article 370 and Jammu based political leaders and parties are not exception to it. Everybody wants to play their game and mislead the public for petty vote bank. Article 370 gives power to the State but it does not give special status to any State as per constitution. It is only Article 371 of the constitution of India which gives more power to a State than Article 370.
Article 371 is not applicable to the State of J&K but it is applicable in Assam, Gujarat, Nagaland and other very few States. Article 371 give special status to a State which is not given under Article 370. Under Article 371 funds are directly allocated by the Centre Govt to district/villages/units of State and plans are implemented by district units. In fact if we want to make progress and remove discrimination within the State of J&K article 371 should be extended in J&K State. Both Shiv Sena and Dogra Front is of the opinion that trifurcation of the State is ultimate solution. UT status be granted to Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu be declared as separate States.
All J&K Movement For Peace and Justice has strongly condemned the statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over Article 370 and reaction of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, regarding abrogation of Article 370. K K Rao an active member of the Movement said that Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has only endorsed the idea of debate on Article 370 as to who is the real beneficiary- whether common mass or a few political families or few bureaucrats. Mr Rao appealed the people not to get mislead by false propaganda of both NC and PDP. They are simply exploiting people on the issue.
State president of Dalit Sena, Romesh Lal Bhagat while reacting over the remarks of NC and PDP leaders alleged that both the parties are trying to exploit people for vote bank. He pointed out that this Article has only hampered the political, social and economic development in the State. It was not in the interest of the general masses. He demanded that this article be withdrawn.
All India Backward Classes Union (Regd) Social while reacting to the Statements of NC leader Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti from PDP, has alleged that these regional based parties have been mis-using Article 370 for their own political interests. Besides them, even the Congress used this Article for suppression and repression of the State subjects. Just getting 10 % or 15 % votes, they can not dictate or take decision about the fate of 85 to 90 % people of this State. There are so many other communities and classes in the State who are strongly opposed to their wishes and they can not impose their wishes on the majority of the people of this State. OBCs in this State have been deprived of their fundament rights and on the plea of Article 370 this community has suffered a lot at the hands of these parties. Mandal Commission report remained unimplemented in the State. Prof Kali Das, Puran Chargotra, M S Sambyal and several others attended the meeting.
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