Srinagar: After separatists, traders, transporters and lawyers, mainstream political parties, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC) and Democratic Youth Front (DYF) also took out rallies on Saturday in support of continuation of Article 35-A of the constitution in the Jammu and Kashmir.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, have already called for two-day strike from tomorrow against any move to dilute the Article 35-A.
The Supreme Court (SC), hearing a writ petition demanding scrapping of Article 35-A, will hear the case on Monday.
Massive protests are being organized for the past about a week by separatists, traders, lawyers and other organizations in support of the Article.
The NC took out a rally in summer capital, Srinagar against attempts to scrape the Article 35 A of the constitution. Led by former minister and party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, large number of ex ministers and senior NC leaders and workers participated in the rally. The demonstrators were demanding quashing of the petition filed in the SC against the Article 35 A which defines the permanent residents of the state.
The PDP also staged protest in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir seeking full safeguards against all conspiracies to undermine the state’s constitutional position and political autonomy.
Referring to cases against Article 35 A pending in supreme Court PDP protestors demanded dismissal of all cases pending adjudications.
Protest rally was organised by Srinagar’s District Unit of PDP in which hundreds of workers vowed to offer any sacrifice that may eventually be required to protect state’s special position and its legitimate cultural and political concerns.
The Rally was led by Mohammad Khurshid Alam,PDP District President for Srinagar and MLC. He reiterated Party stand on specific guarantees to State including the Article 35-A. He said Mehboba Mufti’s firm stand as Chief Minister on this Article is well known and in consonance with honour and dignity of the people.
He said she and party leaders have in every forum always stood upright in party’s stand for settlement and resolution of political issues as per people’s sentiments.
Meanwhile, JKDYF held a protest demonstration in Srinagar led by its President Wahid Sultan and General Secretary Abdul Rashid Itoo. Hundreds of JKDYF activists carrying banners and placards, shouted slogans in favour of Article 35A at Press Colony near here on Saturday.
Wahid Sultan said that people across the state feel deeply concerned over the issue as J&K acceded to India under the guarantees provided by the Constitution of India. Any attempt to repeal or fiddle with Article 35A would have serious ramifications in the state.
“The organization is of the opinion that Article 35 A, shall in no circumstance be annulled, modified or repealed. There is a general consensus across the state with regard to Article 35A and people of the state are united and can go to any extent to defend the special provision. There should be no fiddling with this Article, which safeguard the state’s special protection”, he said.
JKDYF firmly believes that the Article 35A was made under special circumstances and was distinct in comparison to other states. The ruler of the state, Maharaja Hari Singh acceded to India by signing the instrument of accession, which was accepted by the governor general of India on 27 October 1947. Maharaja surrendered only three subjects i.e external affairs, defense and communication to the dominion of India while on all other subjects , the ruler of the state continued his sovereignty in and over the state by virtue of para(8) of the Instrument of accession.
The conspiracy to remove Article 35-A is essentially the agenda of communal, divisive and anti democratic forces who want to thrive on uncertainty, discard, hatred and turmoil. Any attempt to abrogate Article 35A will further alienate people of the state from India. Article 35A itself is a part of fundamental right under part III and is not in violation of any other fundamental right including Article 14.The Central Government must file a counter affidavit on the Article 35A issue in the Supreme Court to give an assurance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
