Governance by conspiracy and coup?  Shock and despair greet announcement on Article 370

Two former chief ministers placed under house arrest in Srinagar. Internet suspended. Satellite phones distributed. Curfew and section 144 imposed and the proclamation and announcement made with no consultation with political parties, leaders or the state Assembly kept under suspended animation.

While the Modi Government in one stroke on Monday seemingly fulfilled its long-held promise to revoke Article 370, it may be the beginning and not the end of strife. Both Constitutional and legal issues besides political will be agitated for weeks, if not months to come.

The reaction in the Valley has been bitter and former chief minister and BJP ally Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “ Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K…It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promise.”

Historian Ramchandra Guha’s cryptic tweet read, “ President Kovind does a Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.”

CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya tweeted, “ Governance by conspiracy and coup: that's democracy under the Modi-Shah duopoly! Like the 500 & 1000 rupee notes, Article 370 and the entire spirit of the Constitution has been junked today. Wake up, India! Don't let the Constitution become a plaything in the hands of the rulers.”

Editor and journalist Shahid Siddiqui tweeted, “This is historic. It will have huge implications not only for J & K but for whole of South Asia. I support this decision of the Central Government as there seems to be no way out of this cycle of violence, which has kept the subcontinent hostage to Kashmir dispute”.

Another editor and journalist Siddharth Varadarajan tweeted, “Can lawyers please explain how the state of J & K can be split and turned into two UTs when the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution requires the concurrence of the state assembly ? And can Presidential order simply add a clause to Article 367 ?”

Others predictably greeted the announcement as a masterstroke by the Modi Government. “The move to scrap Article 370 and Article 35A completes Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s call , “ Ek Desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan, do Nishan nahin ho sakta”. But to be legally valid, it needs the consent of Jammu and Kashmir,” warned others.