After the Supreme Court endorsed the decision of the BJP-led NDA government to abrogate articles 370 and 35-A, the opposition Congress now demanded job and land rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir should be protected under Article 371 of the Indian Constitution like some other states of Northeast.
In a political resolution passed in the executive committee meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, the party admitted that some concessions were given to J&K under Article 370. However, instead of supporting Article 370, the party demanded Article 371 for J&K like some other parts of the country.
Party highlighted the role of leaders including first Prime Minister J L Nehru in the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India, and in recognizing the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution of India, extending certain guarantees in the shape of Article 370, in view of the special circumstances and the peculiar situations in which J&K acceded to India, rejecting the two-nation theory of Pakistan, on the basis of a theocratic State, despite being an overwhelmingly, the only Muslim majority State bordering Pakistan.
"The BJP government in furtherance of their political agenda has unilaterally removed those guarantees and downgraded and divided the status of the historical State into UTs whereby the people have lost their identity and rights to land and jobs and natural resources. The Apex Court has upheld the constitutionality of the government action", the resolution passed by the party reads.
Article 371 of the Indian Constitution contains special provisions for various states and regions, outlining certain special powers and autonomy in matters such as governance, culture, and education.
"In a democracy, the only course available to the people is to seek certain protections to their lands, jobs, natural resources, status, cultural and linguistic identities and their regional and sub-regional aspirations under the constitution, as guaranteed in the constitution by way of certain provisions like Article 371 to several other states including the North-Eastern States, as well as, few other states in the country also", the party demanded.
Cong demands statehood J&K
While demanding statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, Congress pointed out that more than four years after the historical state was dismembered, and downgraded into Union Teritory, the government failed to fulfill its commitment on the floor of the parliament regarding the restoration of the statehood and rather sadistically UT divas was celebrated by the government in 4th year of the downgrading of the State, further hurting the sentiments of people.
"Now the government has assured the Supreme Court to restore the same and the Court has directed the government to restore the state as early as possible", the resolution stated and demanded that the government should restore the statehood as early as possible.
Party demands early assembly polls.
Apart from demanding statehood, Congress also demanded that assembly elections should be held without any further delay. The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat elections too have been deferred, leaving no trace of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress demanded the immediate holding of ULB and Panchayat elections without delay. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has already raised the issue seeking elections to these bodies under the State Election Commission ( SEC) in accordance with amendments 73rd and 74th, with due reservation to OBCs like SCs STs & women which was already incorporated & implemented by the Congress in J&K like in other parts of the country.
