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| Article 35-A returns to haunt PDP-BJP coalition | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 4: As the Supreme Court is all set to hear the petitions challenging Article 35-A, which gives special rights to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, on April 9 separatists in Kashmir are gearing up for yet another showdown.
Sources told Early Times that second rung separatists and their supporters are telling people that if Article 35-A is revoked they would lose all their rights and they should get ready for yet another agitation in Kashmir. "All these activities are being carried out covertly," they said.
The petitions challenging Article 35-A have been filed by West Pakistan Refugees Action Committee, We The Citizens-an NGO and Charu Wali Khanna and Dr Seema Razdan.
On October 30 last year, a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra, Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwikar and Justice DY Chandrachud had deferred the hearing of petitions by three months following the submission by attorney general, KK Venugopal that the court proceedings would hamper the dialogue initiated by the centre's interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma in Jammu and Kashmir.
Insiders revealed that opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir are also preparing themselves to take on the PDP-BJP government if the Apex Court decides to scrap the Article 35-A. "Mainstream political parties believe that it's the best chance for them to corner the J&K government and turn the tables," they added.
Sources said that on other hand separatists are of the opinion that this could prove to be a golden opportunity for them to appease their bosses sitting across the Line of Control. "Since the day NIA has launched a crackdown and has arrested the separatists, who were involved in terror funding and sponsoring unrest, stone pelting incidents have declined but during the past one year new players have become active and they could pose a threat to peace," they added.
The leaders and ministers of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party too are reportedly worried. "Many of them believe that if Article 35-A is scrapped PDP can pull out from the coalition and they would have to give up the power," sources added.
Last time Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had met the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had asked them to intervene. This time around she has not got a chance to meet anyone. She had to cut short her recent trip to New Delhi due to situation in Kashmir turning volatile.
"If the top leaders don't come for the rescue of Mehbooba Mufti and Apex Court decides to revoke the Artilce 35-A we can expect major political developments in coming days," said an analyst. |
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