The ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has been put to yet another embarrassment by the ally BJP after the recent denial of the central government to respond to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) in the Supreme Court against the article 35 A governing the property rights act in Jammu & Kashmir. Yet another blow to PDP on this count is the critical remark of BJP Spokesman Sunil Sethi who has said that the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s statement on Article 35-A is “ politically incorrect”. The critical remark from the BJP spokesman only a day after Chief Minister warned against meddling with article 35 A governing property rights act in Jammu & Kashmir and said that any change in its status would mean that nobody would be able to protect the Indian national flag in Jammu and Kashmir. The response of the BJP to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti remark against article 35 A is against the spirit of the “ Agenda of Alliance” which makes it mandatory for both PDP and
BJP to leave contentious issues untouched. Not the PDP but the BJP has been consistently trying to touch no less important a contentious issue like article 370of the constitution of India guaranteeing special status to Jammu & Kashmir state. In fact the PDP’s no objection to issuance of identity certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) in Jammu and extension of article 101 of the constitution of India for implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Jammu & Kashmir has emboldened the BJP’s central leadership commanding and controlling the central government to ensure no response from the Attorney General to controversial Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against article 35 A in the supreme court. BJP spokesperson’s statement is against the Chief Minister who commands and controls the Jammu & Kashmir government and consequently it is imperative for the Chief Minister to take a serious not of the highly objectionable remarks of the BJP spokesman over a very sensitive contentious political issue.
The PDP as per its commitments reflected in the “agenda of alliance” has to seek the support from BJP on protection of article 35 A the way BJP used PDP majority in the assembly for extension of article 101 of the constitution of India to implement Good and Services Tax (GST) in the state.
Knowing that the BJP spokesman has tried to appease the RSS top brass in Nagpur which has been issuing controversial statements on the special status of Jammu & Kashmir since last three years. Silence of the PDP top brass over the controversial statement of the BJP spokesman on Article 35 A can’t silence the critics of PDP-BJP alliance both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. To prove her contentions over the “ agenda of alliance” her party has reached with BJP for running the affairs of the Jammu & Kashmir government the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti as the custodian of the special status of the state is duty bound to seek explanation from the central government on showing reluctance in filing an affidavit against the PIL filed in the supreme court to challenge the property rights act in the state. The PDP as per its commitments reflected in the “agenda of alliance” has to seek the support from BJP on protection of article 35 A the way BJP used PDP majority in the assembly for extension of article 101 of the constitution of India to implement Good and Services Tax (GST) in the state.
