Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday invoked the last Dogra ruler of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh to strike an emotional chord with the people of the Jammu region during his first public rally after ending his 50 years of relations with the Congress party.
While demanding restoration of statehood and land, and job rights for the residents of J&K, Azad lauded the last Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, for his vision of introducing land and job safeguards.
The last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh had introduced the State Subject provision in the year 1927. Maharaja had brought these laws into effect to save the interests of those locals holding land and finding representation in the state administration as there were apprehensions of non-state subjects usurping the locals.
Azad hailed the 'farsightedness' of Maharaja Hari Singh while demanding restoration of Article 370.
"Indian Constitution and J&K constitution safeguarded this law for 72 years. So this was not unconstitutional", Azad said, adding, "From presidents to prime Ministers, both from Congress and other parties, accepted this constitutional safeguard which was adopted by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and therefore who are we to say that it is wrong," he said.
Notable Ghulam Nabi Azad hailed Maharaja Hari Singh when some groups are agitating to declare September 23 as a holiday on the birthday of the last Dogra ruler.
BJP hails Azad for making J&K "Congress-Mukt"
The resignation of Ghulam Nabi Azad from Congress marked the beginning of the end of the Congress party from J&K as scores of his supporters have resigned from the party.
This was stated by senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta while interacting with people at Bhaderwah, which is the hometown of Azad.
"J&K is going to become the first Congress-Mukt region in the country", Gupta said while pointing toward a spree of resignations of Congress leaders in support of Azad.
The former Deputy Chief Minister said that it was the wrong policies of Congress and former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru which subjected the people of the Jammu region to face discrimination for the last over 70 years.
He said that Azad's departure after 50 years from Congress is testimony to the fact that Congress is not the right party and is only promoting dynastic tendencies keeping the people and its genuine leadership in the dark.
While congratulating Ghulam Nabi Azad for coming up with a new political front, Kavinder hoped that his new party will work for the welfare of the people by addressing their general issues and will also play a significant role in strengthening the country.
