The dissent in the Congress party seems to be growing against the party’s stand on the Modi government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and 35A and to split Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. After several senior leaders supported the government going against the party position, now the Supreme Court unit of the Legal, Human Rights and RTI department of AICC has come out in support of the government.
A press note issued by the unit says that after a meeting held today, they have decided to fully endorse and support the decision to create Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh union territories by bifurcating the state. The note says that they are supporting this in the national interest.
Supreme Court Unit of the AICC (All India Congress Committee) Legal, human rights and RTI department endorses and supports “the decision whereby the two union territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir have been created.” pic.twitter.com/PdhRtqAIzH
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2019
The SC unit of AICC legal cell says that they support the stand of senior Congress leader Dr Karan Singh and fails the revocation of Article 35A which had discriminated against Kashmiri women. The committee also welcomes the possibility of delamination as it will ensure fair division of political power between Jammu and Kashmir.
The removal Article 35A gives voting rights in state and local body elections to the West Pakistani refugees who migrated during the partition, and reservation to Scheduled Tribes and economically weaker section which will be available like rest of the country. The Committee says that this is a long-awaited move.
The Committee also endorsed the abrogation of Article 370, as it was a temporary and transitional provision in the constitution and was never meant to be permanent. The legal unit of All India Congress Committee has directly contradicted senior Congress leaders like Manish Tewari, who had claimed in parliament that Article 370 was meant to be permanent.
The statement signed by the Anoop George Chaudhury, the chairman of the committee, concludes with saying that the steps taken by the Modi government have ensured complete integration of Kashmir with India.
