Mehbooba briefs Farooq, Omar on steps taken to defend 35A

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 8: In a significant political development, Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today drove down to main Opposition party, National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar and briefed him as well as his son and NC Legislature Party leader Omar Abdullah on the steps being taken by the State Government to protect Article 35-A of the Constitution of India, which has been challenged by the RSS think tank in the Supreme Court.
Mehbooba’s meeting with Abdullahs came just a day after Farooq chaired an All Party Meeting (APM) in Srinagar and warned that people in the State would revolt if any attempt was made to quash Article 35-A of the Constitution of India, which would result into abolition of State Subject in the State, introduced by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927.
Sources told the Excelsior that Mehbooba had detailed inter-action with Farooq and Omar Abdullah, lasting about 45 minutes during which she also sought the support of National Conference, which is major Opposition party in both Houses of the Legislature, in protecting and defending Article 35A of the Constitution of India so that Special Status of the State is not tinkered with.
According to sources, the Chief Minister briefed the National Conference leaders, both of whom are former Chief Ministers of the State as well as Union Ministers, on the steps already taken by the State Government like engaging Counsels to project its view point before the Apex Court on Article 35-A.
Assuring the two Opposition leaders that her Government is already seized of the issue and would leave no stone unturned in protecting the Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba also sought the cooperation of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, who is Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, in defending the Article, sources said.
NC leader Omar Abdullah, in a series of tweets tonight, said Mehbooba called on JKNC president (Dr Farooq Abdullah) this evening to discuss prevailing political situation in the State. “It was a cordial meeting”.
“A significant part of the meeting was taken up discussing ways to protect Art 35A. Dr Sahib suggested that Ms Mufti consult other parties,” he tweeted.
He further said: “What the centre should say but won’t is there can be no debating J&K’s Special Status without discussing the circumstances of accession”.
An official tweet by the National Conference after the crucial political meeting between Ruling and Opposition leaders said: “Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called on National Conference president and Member of Parliament for Srinagar, Dr Farooq Abdullah at his residence in Srinagar. The Chief Minister discussed the current political situation in the State with the National Conference president.
“A significant part of the meeting was taken up discussing ways to protect Art 35A. Dr. Farooq Abdullah suggested that the Chief Minister should consult other parties with an aim to create a wider consensus amongst like-minded parties in this battle to prevent Art 35A being struck down in the Supreme Court’’.
Only yesterday, Dr Abdullah had chaired an All Party Meeting, attended by Opposition parties, at his residence in Srinagar in which the Opposition had decided to form United Front to defend and protect Article 35A of the Constitution of India in the Supreme Court. The APM had decided to launch awareness campaign among people of all three regions of the State including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh on repercussions the abrogation of Article 25-A would have on their youth, culture and other spheres of life.
Apart from National Conference, the APM was attended by Congress, CPM, PDF and DPN.
Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting at Jawalapora in Budgam district of Kashmir today, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the Special Status enjoyed by the State under the Constitutions needs to be protected and preserved.
“Legislature of Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed immense powers unlike any other State Assembly,’’ she said and stressed on preserving and protecting the Special Status for which she appealed to every sections of society.
Referring to adoption of Goods and Services Tax (GST in Jammu and Kashmir by the State Assembly, Mehbooba said J&K has enacted its own law in this regard, which no other State in the country has. She added that GST guarantees carried in the Presidential Order reflect the Special Status Jammu and Kashmir enjoys within the Constitution of India.

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