Article 35-A: JKCSCC writes to Guv, meets Farooq, plans meetings with separatists, Ors’

Srinagar: With the hearing of Article 35-A likely later this month, the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Coordination Committee (JKCSCC) has started mobilizing the stakeholders from both the mainstream and separatist camp. JKCSCC is also set to hold series of meetings with trade union bodies and top separatist and mainstream leaders to evolve the strategy regarding the serious issue of Article 35-A.
Sources told Kashmir News Service that the JKCSCC has written a letter to Governor Satya Pal Malik asking him to make his position clear about the preparedness, his office has made to defend Article 35-A in the Supreme Court.
“The letter addressed to the Governor reads that you (Governor) are a custodian of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir being the constitutional head of the state. Can you tell us about the preparedness you have made on behalf of the state of Jammu and Kashmir regarding Article 35-A which is set for the hearing anytime later this month.”
The JKCSCC led by Muzafar Shah, Advocate Mir Javed and senior Sikh leader Jagmohan Singh Raina Wednesday morning met former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and apprised him about the situation. The delegation detailed Farooq Abdullah about the engagement with different stakeholders.
Meanwhile, sources also disclosed to Kashmir News Service that the JKCSCC is going to hold a series of meetings with all the trade union bodies, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, senior Hurriyat leader Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat and other small and large mainstream and separatist political parties.
Article 35A of the Indian Constitution is an article that empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state’s legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.
It is pertinent to mention that Article 35-A has been challenged in Supreme Court of India following which numerous hearings have taken place in the Supreme Court.
Its challenge in the Supreme Court has triggered a major political storm in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and has brought all the shades of political parties on the same page.