Srinagar: Reacting to reports that attempts were being made to allegedly alter Article 35A on ‘permanent residents’ in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said BJP would knowingly play with fire and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti would facilitate it just to remain in office. ”That the BJP would knowingly play with fire & @MehboobaMufti would facilitate it just to remain in office is irresponsible beyond belief,” Mr Abdullah, who is the former chief minister tweeted. Mr Abdullah was reacting to reports in a section of media that BJP sympathisers were steadily pushing the party’s less-noticed promise of altering Article 35A of the Constitution. The Centre’s stance seeking a ‘larger debate’ set off alarm bells among a section of politicians in the Valley, prompting Ms Mufti to say that there would be no one to hold the tricolour if provisions regarding special status to J&K residents were altered.
