The Supreme Court ruled today that it would be hearing petitions on the validity of Article 35A that gives special rights to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and precludes non-Kashmiris from buying land and property in the valley from 26th to 28th February. Following the decision, senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz made a controversial statement asserting that he will join hands with Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and even separatist Geelani to protest if Article 35A is scrapped or altered.
#NewsAlert – @INCIndia’s Saifuddin Soz strokes row over Article 35A. Will protest together with @MehboobaMufti, @OmarAbdullah and Geelani if Article 35A is diluted, says Soz. | @islahmufti with more details pic.twitter.com/OQxRMhJyZX
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 25, 2019
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz said, “People like us, whether that is Abdullah, Membooba Mufti or even Geelani, on 35A we will unite at Lal Chowk if the article is touched. Ours and kids’ future depends on this. Our future depends on what the central government plans to do about Kashmir”.
Article 35A has been a contentious provision which precludes non-Kashmiris from buying land and property in Kashmir. Congress leader, after rumours of extra paramilitary forces being brought in the valley by the central government anticipating the striking down of article 35A, made the controversial statement where he asserted that he was even willing to join hands with Geelani, a known pro-Pakistan separatist and rabble-rouser to protest against the move.
Interestingly, Pakistan too has made such statements regarding Article 35A. The Pakistanis have claimed that any proposed changes to the Article were an attempt to impose demographic changes on the state. “Pakistan condemns any such attempts as these are clearly aimed at bringing about demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir,” it said in a statement.
Speculations have been rife in the state as well after the Central government has organized a massive crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami and arrested numerous leaders of the separatist outfit. JKLF leader Yasin Malik was arrested as well after the Pulwama terrorist attack.
Politicians of Kashmir have been stoking the separatist fire after the Pulwama terror attack. Mehbooba Mufti had recently said, after the crackdown on separatists that one can imprison the person but not his ideas.
Congress too has been at the forefront of playing politics after the Pulwama attack. Congress leader Haroon Yusuf had recently made a controversial statement. Referring to the RDX which was used by the terrorist to carry out the attack on the CRPF soldiers, Yusuf tauntingly said that the Prime Minister could trace 3 kg of beef but could not trace 350 kg of RDX which was allegedly used in the Pulwama terrorist attack.
Randeep Singh Surjewala had also attacked the Modi government by holding it responsible for the Pulwama terrorist attack and called the JeM terrorist a “home-grown so-called terrorist”.
