Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 16: Pradesh Congress Committee president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz today said that his party was committed to protect the special status of the State under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
“The Congress party is duty-bound to safeguard the internal autonomy of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir as enshrined in the Constitution of India in the form of Article 370,” Prof Soz said in a party convention at Budgam.
The PCC leader emphasized that this Article will ever remain as an integral part of the Constitution of India.
Referring to the ruling coalition partner National Conference’s demand for restoration of autonomy to the State, Soz said the people who want enlargement of the autonomy must understand that a discussion on such a proposition is possible and the Congress party has remained in the fore-front in ensuring such a dialogue and discussion. He said Article 370 of the Indian Constitution grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.
This Article specifies that except for Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Communications, (matters specified in the instrument of accession), the Parliament needs the State Government’s concurrence for applying all other laws.
Soz also claimed that the PCC was committed on empowerment of Sarpanchs and Panchs by incorporating the provisions of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India into the Panchayati Act of the State.
On this occasion, senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Monga-MLC, Khem Lata Wakhloo, G N Mir Lasjan, district president Zahid Hussain and Master Mohd Maqbool also addressed the gathering.
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