Srinagar, Nov 16 (NVI): The Resolution of the National Conference (NC) government on Special Status, which was passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on November 6, continues to be mired in a controversy with different interpretations being given to it.
On November 6, the J&K Assembly passed the resolution moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary.
It said the Central government should have a “dialogue” with the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of the Special Status as well as constitutional guarantees, “and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions”.
The confusion has arisen as the Opposition parties have contested the government’s contention that the intention of the Resolution is to seek restoration of Article 370 which was revoked by the Central BJP government in August 2019.
Amidst questions over the actual character of the Resolution and its aim, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti today asked J&K government to provide a proper clarification and address the concerns surrounding the issue.
“A lot of questions and doubts have arisen in the minds of the people of J&K… The government must clarify its stance on this issue,” Mehbooba said while speaking to reporters here.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir hold (Article) 370 as an emotional issue. I believe the National Conference, Congress, and especially the government, need to clarify this matter,” she added.
Her remarks came against the backdrop of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stating two days back that his party, which is an ally of the NC, never talked about restoring Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Subsequently, J&K Congress President Tariq Karra said yesterday that the Resolution focused on restoring statehood.
The NC and Congress jointly contested the Assembly elections held in September and got 49 out of the 90 seats in J&K. However, Congress later stayed out the government.
Mehbooba said her party had raised such concerns about interpretation during the Assembly session itself as “the resolution lacked clarity”.
She said, “The mention of (Article) 370 was done in a way that appeared almost apologetic. A government with a 50-member Assembly should have unequivocally condemned the events of August 5, 2019. Instead, the tone seemed to reflect embarrassment and surrender.”
Meanwhile, NC’s Member Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, in an apparent reference to comments by Congress leaders, said there should be no misinterpretation of the resolution.
“No INC president or JKPCC president has a right to misinterpret the resolution passed by the J&K Legislative Assembly in the last session. The purpose of that resolution is to express the people’s disapproval of all the amendments and unconstitutional abrogation of the guaranteed (Special) Status of J&K from the year 1953 to 2019,” Ruhullah posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“This resolution calls for the return or all the guarantees in their original shape and form as was operational before 1953 including Art 370 and 35A. Let alone JKPCC or any other entity. Even if anyone from within @JKNC_ tries to misinterpret the resolution otherwise and against the wishes of the people, will be rejected and pushed by the people to a corner of irrelevance as the allies of BJP were in the last election.” (NVI)
