Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused the Mehbooba Mufti government of allowing a “step-by-step erosion” of Article 370 that confers special status on the State.
His remarks came in response to the Supreme Court observation on Friday that Jammu & Kashmir has “no vestige” of sovereignty outside the Indian Constitution, and its citizens are “first and foremost” citizens of India.
“It is the duty of the State government to fully and competently defend the status of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and prevent any Central laws from undermining the autonomous character of the State,” Mr. Abdullah said.
The National Conference working president said government counsel prima facie did not “oppose the application of the SARFAESI [Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest] Act in J&K.”
The government’s weak defence was alarming, he said.
“The PDP-BJP government has to come clean on on this vital issue [special status]. Since we were told that the PDP had entered into an alliance with the BJP on a concrete agreement from the Union government and the BJP that the State’s special status would be protected, why is the Union government using the judicial route to subvert certain attributes of the State’s constitutional character,” Mr. Abdullah asked.
Separate entity: Hurriyat
Rejecting the SC observation, the Hurriyat reiterated that “J&K is a separate, independent and sovereign entity”.
In a joint statement, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik termed the Instrument of Accession “a tool of expansion”. “However, dozens of United Nations’ resolutions stand testimony to the fact that Kashmir is a disputed territory,” they said.
Independent MLA, Langate, Engineer Rasheed, said the SC judgment “is like a slap on those advocating restoration of autonomy”. “All mainstream parties, including the PDP and the NC, should realise that New Delhi does not even care about saving the face of those who are defending its stand on J&K inside and outside the State,” he said.
