Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Apr, 29
Bharatiya Janata Party held a press conference at its Jammu Headquarters today in connection with the political developments in regard to the statements issued by some leaders of Kashmir centric political parties. The press conference was addressed by Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, BJP State Spokesperson on Kashmir Affairs, Brig. Anil Gupta State Spokesperson and Balbir Ram Rattan, State Spokesperson.
Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo while addressing the media persons said that the statement asking the State of India to consider “leaving” Kashmir in case Article 370 has deprived the J&K State of prosperity is not only unwarranted and unwanted but is also bereft of normal political sagacity. The statement is aimed at raising passions & emotions and causing harm to the established constitutional and political practices in the State. It is also tantamount to blackmailing the political position that the head of a political party is bestowed with in a parliamentary democracy run under the constitutionally recognized procedures and norms.
It needs to be made clear that since Kashmir province is a part of Jammu & Kashmir state, the province has no exclusive right to represent the State as a whole. It has been established well that the last seven decades political blackmailing, that had the tacit support of the Congress party, was engineered by a couple of political families of the valley. They did it to suit their own political ends and used their parties and their position to this effect. Theirs being a part of the mainstream politics in Jammu & Kashmir state was and is a cameflouge to hide their secessionist motives to hoodwink the common people of the valley.
Secessionist cries suited them to garner benefits and play a second fiddle to the secessionist politics.
The statements of PDP and NC leaders expose their ignorance of history, political arrangements and ground realities in Kashmir valley.
Kashmir has a thousands years of history at it’s back which clearly points to the fact that the Kashmir valley remained a part of India always. The 1947 issue of Instrument of Accession was a constitutional and legal necessity as per the Indian Independence Act of 1947. In fact, Srinagar/Parihaspur used to be the capital of India centuries ago like Patliputra, Ujjain and Delhi during the period of emperor Lalitaditya Mukhtapeed.
PDP Chief is more interested in exploiting and blackmailing than mitigating the sufferings of the masses in the state. BJP would like to reiterate that Article 370 and Article 35A have lost their relevance, if they had any, and time has come for their removal for good.
They have generated a basis to mislead the people about the constitutional and political status of the state and thus create a situation where the younger generations would be prone to political blackmailing and exploitation. These provisions cannot be allowed to provide an alibi for separation, hatred, misuse of power, gender bias and infringement of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. The Article 370 and Article 35A need to go on the first available opportunity once the government has the necessary legislative numbers.
Brig. Anil Gupta said that the LoC trade has brought countless miseries for the state as it has been developed into a channel to foment trouble and do illegal and unwanted activity.
Its suspension should pave way for its permanent closure. Kashmir centric political parties seem to be in competition with each other on the issues of secession and sometimes they go to the extent of supporting terrorism and extremism in the valley brazenly. There is need of an open debate and dialogue on all issues concerning the future of our society, state and younger generations. We invite all those who feel suffocated in these political parties, due to lack of inner democracy, to join open discussion and debate on issues like nationalism, development, national security and on terrorism (as an enemy outside and within).
Balbir Ram Rattan, in his statement expressed the opinion that a few families of Kashmir representing National Conference and People’s Democratic Party cannot be given the role of Jagirdars and feudal Lords to hoodwink the opinion of the people.
Jammu & Kashmir state is nobody’s fiefdom. The people of Jammu and Ladakh, Kashmiri Pandits and other minorities and also the nationalist people of Kashmir rejected the secessionist ideology and practice.
They have deep emotional bondings with the rest of India. Our cultural, historical, traditional and practical relationships are more important than the invented so-called narratives of separation and hatred.
