Amit Shah’s remarks on abrogation of Article 370 during Jammu visit nothing but propaganda: Saifuddin Soz

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Prof. Saifuddin Soz has criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks made during his recent visit to Jammu, terming them as “nothing more than common-place propaganda”.

“It is really unfortunate that during his recent visit to Jammu, Home Minister Amit Shah made certain statements which are totally untrue. Such statements are nothing more than common-place propaganda,” Soz said in a press release issued on Wednesday.

Among other things, Shah had said that Dalits, women, backward classes and paharis had benefited from the abrogation of Article 370.

“Why did he not point out just one thing which would be rated by the people as beneficial to them? In fact, the entire speech was only propaganda. The overwhelming majority of the people of J&K rejected, in one voice, the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India,” Soz said.

“Amit Shah and his likeminded people must know that in the very letter of accession, Maharaja Hari Singh had clearly stated that J&K state would accede to India in four subjects only – 1. Defence; 2. Foreign Affairs; 3. Communication; 4. Currency. Thereafter, the J&K Constituent Assembly ratified accession with a proviso that J&K state would enjoy full internal autonomy. That became a fundamental condition for J&K state’s accession to India,” Soz said.

“The abrogation of Article 370, unilaterally, by the RSS/BJP govt. at the Centre, is totally illegal and unconstitutional. The Central govt would be well-advised to know that the first party to the J&K state’s Accession to India happens to be the people of J&K state and it is the people of J&K state who have decided to fight for the sacred cause of restoration of internal autonomy,” he added.

“The RSS/BJP combine must also know that the constitutional position is that the J&K Assembly had by its Resolution on Record safeguarded the internal autonomy. That Resolution cannot go waste just because the RSS/BJP combine at New Delhi have no taste and culture to appreciate the validity of the constitutionally correct decision by the J&K Legislative Assembly,” Soz said.