Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Aug 19: “A Talk on Article 35-A” was organized by Samadhaan Foundation at Shivalik College, Udhampur, in which main speakers were Pawan Sharma, Member NMCME, Ministry of HRD, Government of India, Er Daya Sagar, eminent columnist and Dr Shreeya Bakshi, Asstt Prof in Central University, Himachal Pradesh. .
Daya Sagar said that there is no special status to J&K in Constitution of India which is clear from a written answer to a question in Parliament in 2015. “There is nothing like separate Constitution for J&K and it’s like a chapter of Constitution of India. Its misconception among some sections of people in J&K is required to be cleared by initiating discussion and talks among civil society across the state,” he said adding that these talk needs to be carried in rural areas also.
Dr Shreeya said that Article 35-A is not Jammu versus Kashmir, Dogra versus Kashmiri or Hindu versus Muslim but purely a humanitarian, legal and constitutional issue, which is anti-women and anti-Dalit.
Pawan Sharma said that 35-A is a safety valve to mis-governance, under-development and corruption. “It is barrier between J&K and rest of India rather than a bridge. Those who are defending 35-A, should explain to the public hither to what benefits did J&K get from this Article,” he added.
He also stressed that people should know in detail, discuss, debate and decide whether the Articles 35- as well as Article 370 are beneficial or harming the development of J&K.
The speakers appreciated Samadhaan Foundation for its initiative for organizing such types of talks, which are necessary to continue in order to involve in dialogue all the three regions of J&K.
Vision of Samadhaan Foundation was presented by Milap Singh, who explained that its mission is to inculcate sense of pride and responsibility among youth and re-connect them with the glorious past of J&K, to come forward together to revive community culture and social leadership.
Intellectuals and people from all section of society participated. There was a question and answer session also.
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