The fissures between coalition partners National Conference and Congress are beginning to appear on the issue of restoration of Article 370. The controversy started when Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a press conference in Pune on Thursday, said that BJP’s allegations that Congress intends to reinstate Article 370 are 'divisive and misleading.’
Following the statement, National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi retorted, saying that the Congress party has no right to misinterpret the resolution passed by the J&K Legislative Assembly.
“No INC president or JKPCC president has the right to misinterpret the resolution passed by the J&K Legislative Assembly in the last session,” Mehdi said in a post on X.
“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. This resolution calls for the return of all the guarantees in their original shape and form as were operational before 1953, including Article 370 and 35A,” Mehdi said.
As campaigning for the Maharashtra elections intensifies, Kharge said that the Union Home Minister has been claiming that the Congress party wants the restoration of Article 370.
“Who said it (within Congress) and when?” he said, adding that they have been discussing an issue that has already been passed by Parliament. “Why are you bringing up the issue? It means you want to keep the issue (Article 370) alive to divide the people,” he added.
Kharge was responding to Amit Shah's assertion that even historical leaders like Indira Gandhi could not reinstate Article 370. Shah said that Rahul Gandhi’s party wants to bring back Article 370. "I am telling Rahul Baba that not only you, but even your fourth generation won't be able to bring back Article 370."
As campaigning for the Maharashtra elections intensifies, Kharge said that the Union Home Minister has been saying that the Congress party wants the restoration of Article 370.
“Who said it (within Congress) and when?” he said, adding that they have been talking about an issue that has already been passed by Parliament. “Why are you bringing up the issue? It means you want to keep the issue (Article 370) alive to divide the people,” he added.
Kharge was responding to Amit Shah's assertion that even historical leaders like Indira Gandhi could not reinstate Article 370. Shah said that Rahul Gandhi’s party wants to bring back Article 370. "I am telling Rahul Baba that not only you, but even your fourth generation won't be able to bring back Article 370."
Kharge said if the BJP was interested in such things, they should say it in Jammu and Kashmir, where elections were recently concluded.
On Thursday, JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra also said that the Congress party's position on Article 370 has been clear. He insisted that if there is anything left to be demanded from the Centre for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, it is the restoration of statehood. He insisted the CWC resolution passed on August 6, 2019, is very clear and self-explanatory.
On November 6, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution seeking special status for Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution, brought by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, was passed by the Assembly with a voice vote.
National Conference legislators claim they have fulfilled the poll promise after passing the resolution. The NC in its manifesto had kept the restoration of Article 370 as the main agenda of the party. However, the Peoples Democratic Party called it a “half-hearted resolution,” saying it has not mentioned Article 370 and has not condemned the decisions of August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was removed.
The resolution says: "That this Legislative Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal."
“This Assembly calls upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status constitutional guarantees and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions,” the resolution says.
“This Assembly emphasises that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the resolution reads.
While the resolution didn’t mention Article 370, Article 35A, August 5, 2019, and the J&K Reorganisation Act, the resolution assumes importance as it talks about the “unilateral removal” of the special status. The resolution also keeps a window open for the government for broader talks on the special status by insisting on “initiating dialogue with elected representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status.”
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While some NC leaders have been saying the resolution was about Article 370, the PDP and the Peoples Conference have been insisting that the NC should clarify its position on the resolution. “Can we have a clarification? Which ally do we have to believe??? While the CM insists the resolution passed is for restoration of Article 370, the truthful Congress chief is clear that the resolution passed is for statehood and not 370.”
Ruhullah Mehdi, considered a hardliner within the NC on Article 370, has clarified the position as people on social media were mostly asking questions to him about the resolution.
