Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 25: Under flak for urging the Indian government to accept Pakistan's invitation of dialogue despite the Pulwama attack, former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti stoked another controversy on Monday. The PDP chief said the Valley populace would drop the tricolour if any attempt is made by the Centre to abrogate Article 35-A.
"Don't play with fire; don't fiddle with Article-35A, else you will see what you haven't seen since 1947, if it's attacked then I don't know which flag people of J&K will be forced to pick up instead of the tricolour," she said. Article 35A in Jammu and Kashmir: Supreme Court Lists Pleas Challenging Constitutional Validity of Act From February 26-28
Mehbooba's contentious remarks comes shortly after her predecessor and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said Kashmir would be facing it's most unprecedented unrest if any attempt is made to change the special status granted to J&K.
"You keep threatening us with article 35-A. Look at what is happening in Arunachal Pradesh now where there is no militancy. They have interfered with their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) as we have. See what is now happening there," Abdullah said, referring to the ongoing agitation in Arunachal which has claimed two lives so far.
Notably, the Supreme Court is hearing a petition which has sought the abrogation of Article 35-A, calling it violative of other fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Article 35-A defines the "permanent residents" of J&K, allowing them only to settle in the frontier state. The law prevents members of other provinces to buy a property in Jammu & Kashmir. |
