PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti fears adverse ruling from SC on Article 370
SRINAGAR: People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir adminstration hint towards the Supreme Court passing a verdict on petitions related to Article 370 of the Constitution, which might be against the interest of the country. The Article gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir compared to other states in India, and was cancelled four years ago.
"Since Friday night, we are witnessing that lists containing the names of the workers of different parties, especially the PDP, are being taken through police stations and it seems that such a decision is to come which is not in favour of this country and Jammu and Kashmir, but only to further the BJP's agenda and hence, some precautionary measures are being taken, which is unfortunate," Mufti told reporters in Anantnag.
She asserted that it is the apex court's responsibility to ensure that it does not push the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) agenda, but keeps the integrity of the country and its Constitution intact.
Mufti said the court's decision should be clear that the decision taken by the BJP-led Centre on August 5, 2019 to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 was "illegal, unconstitutional", against Jammu and Kashmir and the promises made to the people here.
"First, the Supreme Court took a lot of time to hear the cases. It took it five years. Then, the Supreme Court itself in its previous judgments has said no one can abrogate Article 370 barring the constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.
"So I think the decision should be simple that whatever was done on August 5, 2019 was illegal, unconstitutional, against Jammu and Kashmir and the promises made to the people here," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.