Srinagar, Apr 28 (KNS): Launching a scathing attack on BJP president Amit Shah for his remarks “Will remove Article 370 by 2020 if you make Narendra Modi the prime minister again,” the Central Secretary Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and former Deputy Chairman Legislative Council Javed Ahmad Rana said: “Nobody can touch or remove Article 370 and JKNC stands on its stance to protect state’s special status under any circumstances. No tempering of Article 370 will be accepted or allowed”.
He vehemently hit out at BJP, saying that their nefarious designs to alter the demography of state will have severe ramifications.
Rana said, BJP and RSS have infused the issue of J & K with their violent and divisive political discourse that they practice freely in the rest of the country. Jammu and Kashmir today is an abyss of violence and hopelessness and the recent wave of terrible violence stands testimony of this. BJP has made the electorate chase the proverbial taillight of the truck on Article 370 and 35A, and have succeeded in vitiating the political debate and environment in a way which does not bode well for the future either within the State or between the State and Centre.
A constant threat and hard-ball played with both the separatists and mainstream regional parties during the regime of BJP-led government at the Centre has strengthened regional parties into tactile alliances to keep BJP at bay. “Fight for Kashmir, not against Kashmiris” and not to forget the much glorified slogan of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of “Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhoriyat” although this government forgot each and everyone of them before throwing the state into vicious cycle of violence and unrest, an ever-increasing penchant for militancy and now fiddling with Article 370.
While highlighting the achievements of his government, Rana said: “JKNC has done a massive effort to normalize the situation and build an atmosphere of trust & confidence among people in the state”. Our manifesto is inclusive and committed with regard to Article 370. He lashed out at the BJP for infusing communal strife and bigotry. Today, Gandhi’s India has been tarnished by these fascist forces whose ideology belongs to one faith. Their intensions are quite similar to modern day Hitler’s that are danger for brotherhood, peace and harmony. There is a very famous picture of Adolf Hitler in front of the Eiffel tower soon after France fell to the Nazis.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThis scene could be recapitulated at Dal Lake when Modi was waving to an invisible crowd near Zabarwan in valley. The only difference was that he came back to ask votes from them again in 2019. The only relevant question is how stop this dictatorial move. And let’s be clear: this is a dictatorial move. He further said that Amit Shah’s statement about Article 370 is a direct attempt to temper with the constitution of India and only a dictator can think like that.
During his remarks, Rana also applauded and supported the statement of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah: “Abrogating Article 370 of the constitution will pave way for freedom for people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
He further said that the special residency laws were enacted under the regime of Hari Singh, in 1927 to avoid the influx of outside population for safeguarding the population of state irrespective of caste, region or religion. He further said that J & K Governor has claimed in its manifesto that there was no threat to Article 370 and 35A which is a slap on the face of BJP and their cronies.
At the same time Rana expressed surprise over the utter hypocrisy of PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for shedding crocodile tears about the situation in valley. He further responded that if she jogs down here memory lane she was the one who entered into unholy alliance with the BJP to quench her thirst of power and ushering an era of death and dismay upon the people. How could she gulp the insult meted out by PM Modi on Late Mufti Syed while addressing a rally in valley? This reflects her lack of moral strength and leadership qualities, and lust for power.
As the Modi government continues to brag its arrogance and belligerence towards Jammu and Kashmir and Kashmiris, one is reminded of one of the speeches by Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah which he made in August 1952 in the State Assembly: “The Supreme guarantee of our relationship with India is the identity of democratic and secular aspirations, which have guided the people of India as well as those of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for emancipation, and before which all constitutional safeguards will take a secondary position…I would like to make it clear that any suggestions of arbitrarily altering this basis of our relationship with India would not only constitute a breach of the spirit and letter of the Constitution, but invite serious consequences for a harmonious association of our State woth India." (KNS)