Former External Affairs Minister and Karnataka chief Minister S M Krishna said August 5 will go down as a momentous day in the political history of Independent India when the union government decided to scrap Article 370 and Article 35 A of the Constitution.
In a statement issued here today, he said the ‘dynamic duo’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had scripted history by taking steps to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35 A of the Constitution. He said these two provision of the constitution were ‘temporary and transient’ as decided by the Constituent Assembly. But it was travesty of historical truth that these “temporary and transient” provisions had wrongly become a permanent phenomenon and also vested interests as well as instrument of vote-bank politics for a few political parties.
By taking this revolutionary step, the BJP government at the Centre has “effectively corrected a historical and grave blunder” which was committed by the first Prime Minister of free India. Mr Krishna said it was a “historical necessity” to ensure total and complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir “in the real and true sense of the word” and this “concrete and meaningful” step will ensure that India is “One Country” with “One People” from Kashmir to Kanyakumari without any discrimination.
Article 370 and Article 35 A acted as an impediment for Non-Kashmiris to set-up industry anywhere in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. These two provisions acted as a hurdle for the “psychological integration” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.
‘’Let me remind those who are opposing this “inevitable move” (Abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 (A) that the founding-father of the Constitution Dr B.R. Ambedkar had “vehemently opposed” insertion that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Let me quote Babasaheb what he said in the Constituent Assembly; “This proposal to provide special status to that sensitive border state of Jammu and Kashmir by inserting Article 370 is pernicious and will prove disaster to the unity and integrity of India,” Mr Krishna said.
The External ministers said abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A was a real, true and befitting tribute” to the martyrdom of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee; millions of RSS and Jana Sangh activists and Dogra people who have laid down their lives for the cause of the Unity and Integrity of India. ‘’I whole-heartedly welcome the Union government’s “historic” decision to integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India,’’ he reiterated. (UNI)
