BJP backs statehood, opposes references to Art 370, pre-1953 position: LoP
Suhail Bhat SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma today said the BJP fully supports restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but opposed the inclusion of references to the pre-1953 position, Article 370 and 35A in the statehood...
Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma today said the BJP fully supports restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but opposed the inclusion of references to the pre-1953 position, Article 370 and 35A in the statehood resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Sharma said the BJP, as the principal opposition party, had the same position as the government on statehood.
"On statehood, the BJP being the principal opposition party, we have one opinion with the government. Absolutely," he said.
The LoP said the BJP considered statehood its agenda and reiterated the party's commitment to its restoration.
"We believe that statehood is the agenda of the BJP. That is why, beyond all the differences, the BJP is in favour of statehood," he said, adding that "statehood will come, the central government will give it."
However, Sharma strongly objected to the resolution moved in the Assembly three days earlier, saying the BJP would have welcomed it if it had dealt only with statehood.
"If it was only in the name of statehood, we would have welcomed it. And we would have shown our agreement with the ruling party. Yes, statehood should come. There is no doubt about that," he added.
The BJP leader said the resolution went beyond statehood by referring to the 2000 resolution and the pre-1953 position of Jammu and Kashmir. He also referred to the resolution passed in November 2024 concerning the "so-called restoration" of Articles 370 and 35A. He said these references had been brought together with the statehood demand, which he opposed.
Sharma said the basic structure of the Constitution of India was secularism and argued that the resolution violated that principle.
"The constitution of India, the basic feeling of that constitution, which we call the basic structure, is secularism," he said.
The LoP alleged that the resolution was communal because, according to him, it suggested that the Constitution of India should not be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of its Muslim-majority character.
"How is this possible? Should we give a state on the basis of a religion? Should we implement the Constitution of India on the basis of a religion?" he said.
Sharma referred to this as "Muslim sub-nationalism" and said the inclusion of the pre-1953 resolution with the statehood demand was a matter of concern for the BJP.
"Creating a state on this basis, without the implementation of the constitution, adding the resolution of pre-1953 to the resolution of statehood, it hurts us. We regret this. We are saddened by this," he said.
The BJP leader accused the ruling party of attempting to take Jammu and Kashmir "back 70-75 years," referring to the violence and killings witnessed during that period.
"In these 70-75 years, there have been lakhs of killings. They want to take Jammu and Kashmir back for a lakh of killings. They want to push Jammu and Kashmir back," he said.
On Article 370, Sharma said it was removed by Parliament and the Supreme Court had upheld the decision, arguing that there was no scope to include it in the statehood resolution. "This is unconstitutional. It is illegal. And we are saddened by this," he said.
The LoP also criticised Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather over the resolution, saying that despite his seniority, experience and standing, the Speaker had allowed what he described as an illegal resolution to be brought before the House.
"It is not possible that you add Article 370 and 35A to any resolution and discuss it in the assembly. It is not possible. There is no scope for it," he said.
Sharma further argued that the statehood resolution could not be discussed because the matter was sub judice before the Supreme Court. "Whatever is sub judice, you cannot discuss it," he added.
He also said the Assembly could not debate anything that challenged India's sovereignty. "Any word that challenges the sovereignty of India, any word that abuses it, will be made debatable in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. The question doesn't arise," Sharma said.
Sharma alleged that allowing such issues to be debated in the Assembly would serve Pakistan's agenda. "This is what Pakistan wants and the Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be made a platform," he added.
