Jammu, Sep 20: Asserting that Article 35-A of the Constitution is “region and religion neutral”, National Conference (NC) Thursday accused BJP of unleashing misinformation campaign over the provision which guarantees special rights and privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The adversaries of Article 35-A were now frustrated over their disinformation campaign on this constitutional proviso, which has backfired,” NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana said addressing workers at Bani in Kathua district.
Rana, according to a party press release, condemned what he called the “lowest depths of the BJP in misleading public opinion” and said the laws concerning the rights of the people were being twisted with a sinister objective of weakening the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian Union.
“The Article 35-A relates to rights, identity and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Article is region and religion neutral,” he said.
Rana said the Article 35-A is anything but not “anti-national”, as it forms important ingredient of the Constitution of India.
“In fact, this Article endorses the wisdom of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of the state, and his far-sight which is reflected in the presidential order of 1954.”
Cautioning against “ulterior motives” of the BJP to do away with Article 35-A, Rana said a duty has cast upon all the people of the state, especially Dogras of Jammu region, irrespective of caste, creed and religion to stand and save this proviso in order to avert “outsiders domination”.
“The chances of non-state subjects making their way to Jammu are more serious because of its proximity to other parts of the country and conclusiveness in terms of security scenario, culture, topography and terrain,” he said and hoped that the “self-proclaimed champions of the Jammu cause will not ignore this reality”.
