Centre moves resolution to scrap Article 370 in J&K: Rahul, Mehbooba, Omar slam BJP for 'unilaterally' tearing state apart; Mamata demands arrested leaders be released

In an announcement that triggered massive chaos in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah moved a resolution in Rajya Sabha to revoke Article 370 and Article 35A from Jammu and Kashmir, which grants special status to the state. The Centre proposed the bifurcation of the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, a bold and far-reaching decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of a region at the centre of a protracted militancy movement. President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the Constitution (application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019, formalising this.

The Bill has been taken up by  Lok Sabha today  for consideration and passage.

Reacting to the news, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee broke their silence and criticised the resolution.  Rahul slammed the BJP-led Centre and said that national integration cannot be achieved by “unilaterally” tearing the state apart.

National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.

This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019

Meanwhile, Mamata lambasted the BJP government for arresting politicians in Kashmir. On Monday, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti was arrested and National Conference (NC) chief Omar Abdullah was detained and taken to Hari Niwas, a VVIP state guest house. While the reason for the arrests are not known, reports say, it was in “preventive detention" to avoid any kind of destabilization in the region, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill.

In reaction to these arrests, Mamata said, ‘I don’t support Article 370. Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah are not terrorists, they should be released_.’_ 

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES ON KASHMIR AND PARLIAMENT OVER ARTICLE 370

Most politicians on Monday, when the resolution was announced, had hailed the announcement as ‘historic’, while some members of the Opposition described the decision as the ‘darkest day in democracy’.

President of the Jammu and Kashmir PDP, Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet said, “It (the announcement) will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent.” She further blamed the government of terrorising the people of Jammu and Kashmir and stated that ‘India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises.’

Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019

Omar Abdullah, vice-president of NC and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister called the decision ‘shocking’ and stated that this move ‘was a total betrayal’ of the people’s trust in the government.

He further went on to state that the scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35 A ‘raise fundamental questions on the state’s accession’ which were ‘on the very terms enunciated by these articles’.

Statement of Omar Abdullah, Vice-President of National Conference and former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, on revoking of Article 370 and other decisions announced by Government of India. pic.twitter.com/L9RXggb10k

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019

Historian Ramachandra Guha likened the current President’s move to one of his predecessor’s — that of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who passed the Emergency order in 1975.

President Kovind does a Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) August 5, 2019

Human rights and legal aid organisation from Pakistan AGHS echoed similar thoughts as Abdulla and Mufti, saying, “India has violated the mandate of the Kashmiri people and subjected them to the violence unleashed by state.”

It’s the darkest day for Kashmir,India has violated the mandate of the Kashmiri people & subjected them to violence unleashed by state.We stand by Kashmiri people & condemn Indian state aggression and Modi’s adventurism by playing with innocent lives of conflict struck Kashmiris.

— AGHS Legal Aid Cell, Asma Jahangir's Law Firm (@Asma_Jahangir) August 5, 2019

Tamil Nadu’s DMK party president MK Stalin said, “Democracy has been murdered.”

MK Stalin, DMK President: Without consulting people of Jammu and Kashmir, Article 370 has been taken away. Democracy has been murdered. AIADMK is also supporting the decision which is condemnable. pic.twitter.com/mnMbGMJGjv

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019

The CPI(M) termed the move an “attack” on the Constitution and said the Left parties will hold a protest against the move on Monday. Sitaram Yechury, leader of the Communist Party of India tweeted a photo about the whereabouts of the protest.

The people of India are being forewarned that such authoritarian attacks will take place on their democratic and constitutional rights.
This is the time to stand with the people of Jammu & Kashmir and mobilise the people to resist this onslaught on the Constitution and federalism pic.twitter.com/vCa4n9pCEJ

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 5, 2019

Demanding that the government “end the seige in Kashmir”, CPI-ML Liberation party tweeted that the government through its decision had ended the last bridge between the state and the constitution.

By effectively scrapping #Article370 and 35A, the Modi govt has burnt the constitutional & historical bridge that connected J&K with the rest of India. The govt's obsession with setting the clock back is pushing the country back into the turbulence of the 1940s.@Dipankar_cpiml pic.twitter.com/jODe6zSK9y

— CPIML Liberation (@cpimlliberation) August 5, 2019

Restore Articles 370 and 35A!
Release all opposition leaders in Kashmir! #Article370 pic.twitter.com/AQLG7VfWI3

— CPIML Liberation (@cpimlliberation) August 5, 2019

Meanwhile, national general secretary of BJP Ram Madhav hailed it as a ‘glorious day’.

What a glorious day. Finally d martyrdom of thousands starting with Dr Shyam Prasad Mukharjee for compete integration of J&K into Indian Union is being honoured and d seven decade old demand of d entire nation being realised in front of our eyes; in our life time.Ever imagined?🙏

— Ram Madhav (@rammadhav_) August 5, 2019

Former Minister of External Affairs and BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj called it a ‘bold decision’ taken by the government.

बहुत साहसिक और ऐतिहासिक निर्णय. श्रेष्ठ भारत - एक भारत का अभिनन्दन.
A bold and historic decision. We salute our Great India - one India.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 5, 2019

BJP Rajya Sabha member and former finance minister Arun Jaitley congratulated the prime minister for correcting a ‘historic blunder’ that ‘came in through the back door.’

My complements to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and the Home Minister Shri Amit Shah for correcting a historical blunder.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 5, 2019

Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik described the Centre’s move on Article 370 of the Constitution, as a “historic and bold decision”.

Historic and bold decision by Union Home Minister @AmitShah
moves resolution in #RajyaSabha to revoke #Article370

Minister to address #LokSabha at 12 noon today.#BharatEkHai

— Shripad Y. Naik (@shripadynaik) August 5, 2019

Other BJP members like party MLA from Uttar Pradesh  Dhirendra Singh and BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti also called it a ‘historic day’.

एतिहासिक दिन -
माननीय गृहमंत्री श्री @AmitShah जी ने राज्यसभा में #Article370 हटाने का प्रस्ताव पेश किया इस ऐतिहासिक फ़ैसले के लिए पूरे भारत को बधाई भारत: कश्मीर से कन्याकुमारी तक एक देश।#JammuAndKashmir #BharatEkHai pic.twitter.com/hm5DVRTjny

— Dhirendra Singh (@DhirendraGBN) August 5, 2019

प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी और गृह मंत्री श्री @AmitShah जी ने #JammuAndKashmir से #Article370 को हटाने का निर्णय लेकर सिद्ध किया की हमारी सरकार जो कहती है वह करती है. आज एक एतिहासिक दिन है. यह देश के संविधान, देश के सम्मान और एकता की जीत है. भारत माता की जय.

— Satpal Singh Satti (@satpalsattibjp) August 5, 2019

RSS congratulated the government on the move, claiming it was ‘highly necessary for the interests of the whole country including Jammu and Kashmir.’

“सरकार के साहसपूर्ण कदम का हम हार्दिक अभिनंदन करते हैं। यह जम्मू-कश्मीर सहित पूरे देश के हित के लिए अत्यधिक आवश्यक था।
सभी को अपने स्वार्थों एवं राजनीतिक भेदों से ऊपर उठकर इस पहल का स्वागत और समर्थन करना चाहिये।”

मोहन भागवत, सरसंघचालक
सुरेश (भय्याजी) जोशी, सरकार्यवाह

— RSS (@RSSorg) August 5, 2019

BJP ally, Shiv Sena’s president Uddhav Thackeray said the government’s move on Article 370 is fulfillment of the dream of late Bal Thackeray and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “Today, our country has become fully independent,” Thackeray said. He asked the opposition parties to “leave aside their political shoes” and support sovereignty of India as reported by PTI. While Shiv Sena leader and current President of Yuva Sena, Aditya Thackery reacted to Centre’s decision by saying that ‘Kashmir now truly a part of India.’

🇮🇳 Historic day for India. 370 scrapped and Jammu & Kashmir now truly a part of India. The path to a safer, progressive and an open J&K determined by citizens, and not anti national separatists has been paved. 🇮🇳

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 5, 2019

AAP, too, has extended its support to the Centre’s resolution on removing Article 370, with its chief Arvind Kejriwal stating that the party hopes “this will bring peace and development in the state.”

We support the govt on its decisions on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 5, 2019

Veteran BJP leader LK Advani said, “I am happy with the government’s decision to revoke Article 370 and I believe that it is a bold step towards strengthening national integration.”

“The scrapping of Article 370 has been a part of the BJP’s core ideology since the days of the Jana Sangh. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah for this historic initiative and pray for peace, prosperity and progress in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” he added.

Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu supported the Central government’s move to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir

Telugu Desam Party supports the Union Govt as it seeks to repeal Article 370. I pray for the peace and prosperity of the people of J&K.#Article370

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) August 5, 2019

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar remarked that the Union government should have taken the leaders of mainstream political parties in Kashmir into confidence before making the decision.

The incumbent Govt took steps to revoke Art 370, however the leaders of various political parties in Kashmir who have consistently been associated with the Union of India, Farookh Abdullah, Ghulam Navi Azad, Mehebooba Mufti amongst others should have been taken into confidence...

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) August 5, 2019

In the Rajya Sabha, former Union home minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, “Momentarily you may think you have scored a victory…drum beats on the streets may force you to think that you have corrected a so-called injustice. But history will prove you wrong… Future generations will realise what a grave mistake this House is making.

He described the move as a “catastrophic blunder” and added that the Congress would strongly oppose it.