SRINAGAR: The BJP has welcomed the Centre’s proposed move to grant some guarantees to J&K residents, a move which was later dubbed as “face saving” by the National Conference and the PDP.
BJP general secretary (org) Ashok Koul told this newspaper that the party welcomes any move from the Centre to safeguard the rights of J&K people. “We wanted the rights of J&K residents to be protected. The Centre will issue some riders to protect job and land rights of J&K people,” he said, adding that it would provide a major relief to the residents who were worried about their future after the special status was abrogated on August 5.
He said when the new rules are framed, the ‘ifs and buts’ have to be taken care of before making it public.
PDP leader Firdous Tak asserted Article 370 was never only about jobs and land. “The constitutional provisions had been more or less connected to the identity of J&K residents,” he said. “Article 370 had empowered J&K residents.”
Tak said granting job and land rights to J&K residents is nothing but a face-saver for the BJP. National Conference leader Hasnain Masoodi said whatever guarantees J&K residents are provided should have constitutional safeguards.
Terming the bifurcation of J&K state as “illegal”, Masoodi said, “People have now realised that they are the losers after scraping of Article 370. Now people are vocal in their resentment. There is resentment everywhere”.