Srinagar
Stating that any attempt to abrogate Article 35-A of the constitution would have serious ramifications in the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and PDF Chairman and MLA Khan Sahib Hakim Mohammad Yaseen Sunday urged the government to convene a special assembly session to discuss this crucial issue.
In a joint statement, the two leaders stressed that the conspiracy to remove Article 35-A is essentially the agenda of communal, divisive and anti democratic forces who want to thrive on uncertainty, discard, hatred and turmoil.The state government should take the case very seriously, contend it in the Supreme Court vigorously and should not depend on hollow assurances by the Centre.
The observation of Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, representing the Center, in the Supreme Court that the issue needs wider discussions has created apprehension in the minds of people in the state about the intentions of the BJP led NDA Government, they observed and said that it is a matter of anguish that the present ruling parties at the centre who should have adopted a flexible and positive approach in dealing with the Kashmir problem have opted for an obscurantist and rigid approach and are trying to deny even the status quo.
Deletion of Article 35-A will prove disastrous for the entire state and will have very unforeseen dangerous consequences. At this juncture all the broad minded and democratic forces including political parties, intelligentsia and the civil society at large, should put their heads together, discuss the situation intensively and launch a concerted struggle against this mischief.
It therefore becomes imperative to call a special session of the State Legislature to discuss this crucial issue without any delay, so that a strong response could be put before the Supreme Court by the State Government, the two leaders advocated.
