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| NC MLC gets tastes of audience anger, BJPs Lekhi seeks abrogation | | Protest against NC rocks seminar on Article 370 | | Sumit Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 20: Slogans against National Conference (NC) and its powerful provincial president Devinder Rana rented in the hall of Jammu Club after he called outsiders as mess creators in the state.
"I do not want the ``Motabhais'' and ``Chhotabhais'' and ``Patels'', an oblique reference to Gujaratis, to settle in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, if Article 370 is tampered with". No sooner did Davinder Rana begin his speech over Article 370, then the audience reacted, captured dais and shouted anti-NC slogans. They also shouted Bharat Mata Ki Jai, forcing the organizers to pacify the attendance.
Rana had seemingly made up his mind to teach BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi a lesson when delivering speech over Article 370, she attacked Abdullah family and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Omar Abdullah as well for gender inequality stating that if Omar Abdullah got married to an outsider and she became a permanent resident. In contrast, Omar's sister, Sara, got married to Sachin Pilot and she cannot enjoy unfettered rights in the state now.
So, a male citizen has brought in an outsider and a female citizen (Sara) has lost her rights by marrying an outsider. However, Rana's speech had adverse effect over audience, thus faced public resentment. Episode took place in seminar organized by NGO namely Universal Foundation. Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, a Supreme Court lawyer, spoke about various provisions of Constitution of India which have not become applicable to J&K due to Article 370.
She made an impassioned appeal to the gathering to introspect and think as to what benefits the citizens of J&K have got because of this Article. Lekhi spoke about Article 35-A of the Constitution which was added on May 14, 1954, under a Presidential Order. Under this Article, successive State Governments have formulated laws which, under the garb of enabling J&K citizens, actually disempower and disable Indian citizens living with the State of J&K.
Lekhi said that Article 35-A is the basis of all impediments placed in the path of women and this provision actually is something that contravenes the laws of equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It is ultra vires of the Constitution as it puts women in a disadvantageous position vis-a-vis men. This is repugnant to any civilized society and retrograde. She referred to the J&K Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill, 2004, which was passed in the Legislative Assembly on March 5.
She also pointed out that the Bill could not be passed in the Legislative Council because the Chairman Abdul Rashid Dar adjourned the House sine die. And for this, the National Conference expelled Dar from the party. She cited the gender discriminatory provisions as formulated the State Government under Article 370 regarding women by quoting the example of the Abdullah family.
She pointed out that Omar Abdullah got married to an outsider and she became a permanent resident. In contrast, Omar's sister, Sara, got married to Sachin Pilot and she cannot enjoy unfettered rights in the state now. So, a male citizen has brought in an outsider and a female citizen (Sara) has lost her rights by marrying an outsider.
Universal Foundation president Dineshwar Jamwal spoke as to how Scheduled Tribes (STs) have been deprived of their rights as envisaged under the Constitution of India due to Article 370. He pointed out that the STs do not have any political reservation in the State Legislature as also the Lok Sabha due to Article 370. He said the Leh Lok Sabha seat as also several Legislative Assembly seats should be reserved for the STs.
Quoting figures, he pointed out that the entire Ladakh region, comprising Leh and Kargil districts, has been declared to be inhabited by STs.
However, all four Legislative Assembly seats there are open and unreserved seats, though they should be reserved for STs. National Conference MLC and provincial president DS Rana stoutly defended Article 370 terming it something that defines the relationship between the State of Jammu and Kashmir with India. He said it is dangerous to try to undermine this provision as it will also undermine this relationship. He quoted the State Subject laws to buttress his point about the utility of Article 370 for the state and its citizens.
He said it will be an unfortunate day if the State Subject laws are diluted as it will reduce the locals to a state of starvation. He said that he is all for defending the State Subject laws because if people from all over India start arriving here in hordes, there will be no roofs over the heads of the common citizens of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. He also said that in the absence of Article 370, there will be no relationship between J&K and India.
Hence, he is all for continuation of Article 370 and strengthening it. About West Pakistan refugees, he said that Article 370 does not impact them in any way. Some people who say that these hapless people have not been provided citizenship rights because of this Article are wrong. In no way does Article 370 impact the West Pakistani refugees, he said.
He said that he does not want the ``Motabhais'' and ``Chhotabhais'' and ``Patels'', an oblique reference to Gujaratis, to settle in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, if Article 370 is tampered with. He said that tampering with Article 370 will disempowering the people of J&K. Jammu University teacher Seema Nargotra spoke passionately about how the West Pakistan refugees have been deprived of all their rights due to Article 35-A which has been incorporated under Article 370. |
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