Know about the new controversy surrounding Article 370 in J&K 

Srinagar, Nov 16 (IANS) J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra’s remarks on the resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly on November 6 over Article 370 have triggered a storm in the UT. 

Tariq Hameed Karra said that the resolution passed by the J&K Legislative Assembly ‘does not mention Article 370’. 

His statement followed the statement of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in which he criticised the BJP for accusing the Congress of supporting the restoration of Article 370 in J&K. 

Article 370 was abrogated by the Parliament on August 5, 2019. The power of the Parliament to abrogate Article 370 was upheld by the five-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court. 

Interestingly, Karra’s statement was severely criticised by NC Lok Sabha member, Syed Ruhullah Mehdi as well. 

“No INC (Indian National Congress) president or JKPCC (J&K Pradesh Congress Committee) 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 said in a statement. 

To add fuel to the controversy, former Chief Minister and President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said that there is ambiguity in the approach to Article 370 between the government and the Congress. 

“The resolution passed by the Assembly lacks clarity. The government, with its 52-member majority, should have raised its voice clearly and unequivocally condemned the events of 2019. Instead, the resolution seemed like a surrender, leaving the public with more questions than answers,” she said.

She added that the resolution is not clear and it seems there is hesitation or embarrassment when Article 370 was discussed in the Assembly.

There has been no official statement from the NC about clarification sought by Tariq Hameed Karra on the mentioning of Article 37o in the resolution.

Taking a dig at the NC-Congress ‘disagreement’ on what the resolution passed on November 6, J&K BJP President, Sat Sharma asked the NC to focus on the region’s development and not persistently focus on Article 370.

“Article 370 is a part of history. The clock cannot be turned back. Much water has flowed down the Jhelum, and no force on Earth can reverse it. Article 370 was abrogated constitutionally and legally. It’s time for the NC to accept this reality”, Sharma asserted.

The NC had made the restoration of Article 370 its major electoral plank.