BJP’s way of abrogating Art 370 raises question on very idea of India: Congress

Slamming the Narendra Modi government for abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution in a “unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic manner”, the Congress on Tuesday said that the way whole thing was done “calls into question the very idea of India being a Union of states”.

A resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision making body of the party, appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace, while underlining its stated position that J&K is an integral part of India and that “all issues pertaining to J&K are internal matters of India” with no scope for any outside intervention.

Here is the full text of the Resolution:

The CWC deplores the unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic manner in which Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated and the State of Jammu and Kashmir was dismembered by misinterpreting the provisions of the Constitution. Every principle of Constitutional law, states’ rights, Parliamentary procedure and democratic governance was violated,” the CWC Resolution said.

Article 370 was conceived and crafted by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, assisted by N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar and V.P. Menon.

Article 370 is the Constitutional recognition of the terms of the Instrument of Accession between the state of Jammu & Kashmir and India. It deserved to be honoured until it was amended, after consultation with all sections of the people, and strictly in accordance with the Constitution of India,” it added.

What the BJP government accomplished yesterday in the Rajya Sabha and today in the Lok Sabha has grave implications going well beyond J&K and calls into question the very idea of India being a Union of States. Jammu & Kashmir acceded to India as one state and no government has the power to change its status or divide it or reduce any part of it to a Union Territory.

The Indian National Congress pledges to stand with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and to fight the BJP and its divisive and diabolical agenda with every power in its hands. We urge the people of J&K to maintain peace and calm.

The CWC strongly reaffirmed the consistent and stated position of the Indian National Congress that J&K, including the areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan and the part ceded by it to China, are integral part of the Republic of India. The integration of J&K with India is final and irrevocable. CWC firmly asserted that all issues pertaining to J&K are internal matters of India and no outside interference will be tolerated.