Till yesterday the political debate was restricted to the legal battle for protection of Article 370 challenged in the supreme court of the country by a lesser known non-governmental organization (NGO) “We the Citizen” believe to be an offshoot of the RSS backed BJP but with National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah demanding an assembly session for disusing the Article 35 A on floor of the house in the backdrop of a petition filed against the property rights act presently enforce in the state the ball is now in the court of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Though people of Jammu & Kashmir would be glad to see governor summoning special session of the assembly for discussion on Article 35 A on the demand of Omar Abdullah the leader of the main opposition National Conference in the assembly, but the unanimity shown by the ruling PDP and the opposition National Conference over the issue in recent day will be adjudged by their action during the debate in the assembly. Interestingly even if the demand of Omar Abdullah for summoning special issue is not conceded the duration summer session of the assembly as per past precedence is scheduled to be held next month. Encouraging is the call of the Omar Abdullah for discussion on Article 35 A in the assembly but both National Conference and PDP are yet to drop hints on the possibility of move a resolution for ratification of the 1954 presidential order on article 35 A in the state assembly. So for Omar Abdullah has demanded a special session of the assembly for discussing the article 35 A with focus on framing up an appropriate response to what he calls “counter the narrative with regard to tampering or repealing of Article 35-A of the Constitution”. To counter the political narrative of the BJP and its RSS backed hard affiliates to repeal the article 35 A the only way option left for the opposition National Conference is to move a resolution for ratification of the 1954 presidential order on article 35 A and seek the support of ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on this count.
The decision of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to go with the opposition National Conference on a resolution which may be moved for the ratification of 1954 presidential order on article 35 A can prove detrimental for the survival of the PDP-BJP coalition government and also the future of coalition politics in Jammu & Kashmir state. .
Extending support to any resolution that may be moved to seek ratification of the 1954 presidential order on article 35 A by the assembly would be a litmus test for the PDP which has so for allowed BJP to play with the special status of the state both within and outside the assembly. Chief Minister has discussed the sensitivities of article 35 A with National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and other opposition leaders and fortunately the Chief Minister has been assured full support by almost all the opposition political parties. With Omar Abdullah demanding a special session of the assembly at a time when the short duration summer session of the assembly is otherwise scheduled to be held next month the ball is now in the court of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who has to take a call on moving a joint resolution with the opposition National Conference and other non BJP political parties for the ratification of 1954 presidential order on article 35 A and push BJP to the wall on this sensitive contentious issue . The decision of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to go with the opposition National Conference on a resolution which may be moved for the ratification of 1954 presidential order on article 35 A can prove detrimental for the survival of the PDP-BJP coalition government and also the future of coalition politics in Jammu & Kashmir state.
