A senior PDP leader today claimed that the majority of people in Jammu were against the scrapping of Article 35A of the Constitution which gives special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“A misconception is being deliberately created that the people of Jammu are in favour of the revocation of the Article 35A," additional spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abhijeet Jasrotia told reporters here.
"Like the people of Kashmir and Ladakh region, almost all Dogras are in favour of continuation of the constitutional provision," he added.
Jasrotia said the residents of Jammu region especially the Dogras were mature enough to understand the threat to their next generation if the act was revoked.
“I am myself a Dogra and we are fully aware of the challenges the revocation of the constitutional provision poses. We will not allow this provision to go on the demand of a small group,” the PDP leader said.
He said the act was enacted by Maharaja Hari Singh on the recommendation of Kashmiri Pandits and Dogras.
“We honour (the) Maharaja and hold him in high esteem. He had come out with this act which is beneficial for us,” he said.
Highlighting that the provision acts as a"bridge" between the state and the rest of India, Jasrotia said the PDP, whether in power or opposition, had always worked to safeguard Articles 370 and 35A.
“Our president (former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti) single handedly made efforts to safeguard these provisions over the past couple of years, others have awakened now," he said.
"We will do whatever it needs to protect the special provision which acts as a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) chairman Harsh Dev Singh asked all national and regional political parties to desist from issuing provocative statements on the issue which is sub-judice.
“Such moves are deplorable attempts to influence the judiciary and amount to contempt of court,” Singh said in a statement here.
He said everybody must respect the wisdom and judgement of the Supreme Court.
“The Congress and the Kashmir centric National Conference and PDP were on the same page issuing threats if Article 35A was tinkered with, while the BJP was making statements to hoodwink the people over the sub-judice issue,” he said.
All the parties are whipping up emotions of the people to serve their petty political interests, he added.
