The followers and sympathisers of BJP were surprised to see Home Minister Rajnath Singh assuring Kashmiris of full protection of their sentiments on Article 35 A when he on September 11 on first leg of his visit to the state was meeting delegations of mainstream political parties in Srinagar the summer capital of the state. However Rajnath Singh in less than 24 hours brought smiles back on the faces of the followers and sympathizers when he on reaching Jammu told media persons that his assurance on article 35 A was misinterpreted and said he meant “ protection of the sentiments of all the three regions of the state-Jammu, Kashmir and Ladhak but not of the people of Kashmir valley alons”. What mainstream politicians in Kashmir did not notice was Rajnath Singh’s overt and covert denial of any assurance on filing a counter affidavit on petitions filed against Article 35 A in the supreme court of the country. With this Home Minister Rajnath Singh conveyed it to PDP in unambiguous terms that saffron party presently commanding and controlling the central government won’t compromise on its stands over any contentious issue particularly issues related to Article 370 of the Indian constitution granting special status to Jammu & Kashmir state.
While the Home Minister Rajnath has shown respect for the uncompromising stand of his party (BJP) on Article 35 A, the PDP and National Conference have not raised concerns for the respect to the sentiment of the people of Kashmir valley and Chenab Valley and Pir Panchal areas of Jammu division on article 35 A.
Had the Home Minister Rajnath Singh not changed his remarks on Article 35-A in Jammu on September 12, the PDP leaders would have started claiming credit for Rajnath Singh’s half hearted assurance on article 35 A during a press briefing in Srinagar on September 11. Rajnath Singh preferred to take care of the core political agenda of his party which accords top priority to abrogation of article 370 and article 35 A and did not bother to utter even a single words over the concerns of ally PDP on the outcome of the petitions filed against article 35 A in the supreme court of the country. After Rajnath Singh’s U-turn on his remark over protection of article 35 A the PDP leaders don’t regret over what they had said about the assurance of Rajnath on first day of his visit in Srinagar on September 11. In Jammu when Home Minister Rajnath Singh was told that people of Jammu had a different take on Article 35-A the leaders of both PDP and National Conference (NC) did not muster the courage to tell Home Minister Rajnath Singh that people of the Chenab valley and Pir Panchal areas support and endorse the stand of the people of Kashmir but not of few Jammu districts on article 35 A. Had the delegations of PDP and National Conference mustered the courage to brief the Home Minister about the support and endorsement the people of Chenab Valley and Pir Panchal areas have shown on the stand of the people of Kashmir against petitions filed to challenge article 35 A in the supreme court of the country. While the Home Minister Rajnath has shown respect for the uncompromising stand of his party (BJP) on Article 35 A, the PDP and National Conference have not raised concerns for the respect to the sentiment of the people of Kashmir valley and Chenab Valley and Pir Panchal areas of Jammu division on article 35 A.
