SRINAGAR: Home Minister Amit Shah’s Kashmir ideas have got a rare endorsement from the Shiv Sena that has been a critic of the Sangh’s Kashmir policy. The outfit’s mouthpiece Samna has editorially written in strong support to the Shah’s measures including scraping Article 370 and installing a Hindu Chief Minister, Times of India reported.
“There are 68.35% Muslims in the J&K valley, while Hindus constitute 28.45%. There are Sikhs too in the state. But J&K has not been offered to Muslims on a platter. The Muslims may call themselves Kashmiris, but they are the citizens of India and hen e the law of the land should apply to them too,” the newspaper quoted Saamna editorial saying on Thursday.
The newspaper has supported the delimitation of the assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. “Actually Jammu, which covers a larger area than Kashmir, sends fewer MLAs to the state assembly. This could be a game plan to ensure J&K doesn’t ever get a Hindu CM and that Muslims are thus kept happy,” Saamna editorial reads. “Although Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K was a Hindu, there has never been a Hindu CM in the state… This mindset has to be changed. If attempts are being made in this connection, we should welcome such measures.”
The support to the Sangh policy on Kashmir from Shiv Sena is seen something that was not seen in last four days of the uneasy relationship between the Shiv Sena and the BJP. The Sena was specially targeting Shah. Seemingly, now the relationship is changing.
“The Centre will not waste time in fruitless discussions. It will take a decision (on delimitation) and implement it with force. This seems to be the style of functioning of the new Union home minister,” Saamna said. “If Shah is keen on ensuring J&K gets a Hindu CM and Kashmiri Pandits return to their homes in Jammu, he is doing great service to the nation… Under his leadership the J&K assembly will get a new profile.”
