HYDERABAD: Drawing parallels between the National Registry of Citizens in Assam and Article 35A in Kashmir, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has accused the Centre of “playing politics of convenience and identity where it suits them politically”.
In a tweet on Wednesday, the Hyderabad MP said, “BJP wants Assamese identity to be intact at the cost of 40 lakh people but in Kashmir it wants Article 35A to be scrapped to dilute Kashmiri identity. BJP is playing politics of convenience and identity where it suits them politically.” Article 35A gives the right to Kashmir legislature to decide who “permanent residents” are and confers on the citizens special rights and privileges in public sector jobs, property acquisition in the state, and other public aid and welfare.
The law, which has been challenged by an NGO ‘We the Citizens’ and other groups in the Supreme Court, has also been publicly opposed by the BJP. Recently, its leader Subramanian Swamy has said Article 35A could be removed. On August 6, there is a hearing in the SC on the matter.Owaisi attacked BJP president Amit Shah over his comments on the final draft of NRC. Shah lashed out at the previous UPA government for not being tough on illegal immigrants.