Srinagar: People’s Conference president and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Friday hit out at the BJP for objecting to the resolution on restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the constitutional relationship between the region and India cannot be separated from commitments and assurances surrounding events of 1947.
Lone, the MLA from Handwara, said the BJP was “making noise” as it had no substantive argument against the resolution.
He said that Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India must be understood in the context of the promises and constitutional arrangements that accompanied it.
“The political and constitutional relationship between J&K and India cannot be divorced from the commitments and assurances surrounding the events of 1947. Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India because of the events of 1947. Promises were made to us in 1947. Because of that, we are here,” Lone said.
He said the restoration of statehood was not a matter of governmental charity, described the withdrawal as a “very bad act” and alleged that it was driven by “stubbornness” and “hatred”.
Lone said that the constitutional relationship that evolved after accession, including the autonomy arrangements that existed before and after the 1953 watershed and the subsequent constitutional framework, could not simply be erased from the historical record.
Referring to the broader question of autonomy, Lone said issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional position, including the commitments associated with accession and subsequent arrangements form a part of the political understanding under which the state’s relationship with India developed.
“What does the BJP know? They just arrived the day before yesterday. You should talk about 1947,” Lone said.
On the possibility of pursuing a judicial route on the statehood issue, especially after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah indicated that legal options could be explored, Lone said the immediate priority was to secure passage of the assembly resolution.
“We will look at the legal route later; first, let’s focus on passing the resolution here,” he said.
