BJP turning Article 35A into communal issue: Omar

JAMMU: Saying that defending the Constitution of India, to which Article 35A is integral, can’t be anti-national, National Conference’s working president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday lamented that BJP was making this proviso a ‘Hindu versus Muslim’ and ‘the state versus rest of the country’ issue after falling short of arguments to justify their moves in this regard.

Coming down heavily on BJP while addressing party workers at Darhal, Omar asked how could fingers be raised against National Conference for opposing the clandestine moves of repealing Article 35A, which is a constitutional guarantee to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to preserve their distinct identity and dignity, irrespective of religion or caste. He further accused BJP of dividing people on region and religion to further its anti-people agenda.

Omar reassured people that as long as National Conference flag fluttered high across Jammu and Kashmir, Article 35A would remain part of the Constitution.

“Article 35A reflects our identity; it allows us to shape our destiny and we cannot therefore let it go,” he declared amid huge applause and asked people to close their ranks for defending this, come what may. He cautioned people not to remain complacent on this sensitive issue, especially as BJP is working on a strategy drawn as back as the conception of the PDP in 2000.

Elaborating his argument, Omar reminded the people how fiercely PDP had campaigned against BJP in 2014 assembly and parliamentary elections, claiming that this was the only party that can stop the Modi juggernaut in Jammu and Kashmir.


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