Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Vice President and MLC, G N Monga today asked the ruling PDP to clear its and its alliance partner BJP’s stand on the Article 35A.

“Let PDP clarify its stand before the people of the state on Article 35A and also what its alliance partner BJP wants to do with the Article 35A? PDP leadership issues statements that it will defend the Article 35A, but its alliance partner has different views. Let both the parties clarify their stand at state and country level what they want to do with Article 35A,” Monga said in a statement issued here.

He said the statement of outgoing Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi that Center government’s top law officer will help the Supreme Court with regard to the legal aspects of Article 35A has created further doubts in the minds of people of the state and the country.

“Why didn’t Government of India’s Attorney General K K Venugopal file any objection in the Supreme Court against repealing the Article 35A so far. Centre Government has not made its policy clear over the issue. The recent developments show that PDP is trying to befool people of the state over the issue,” the Congress leader said.

“If the Center is sincere in defending the Special Status of the State, as claimed by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, it should then file an affidavit in the Supreme Court and oppose the writ petition regarding the Article 35-A,” he added.

Monga also questioned as to what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 15 remarks that bullets and abuses won’t help resolve Kashmir issue. “More than two weeks have passed off since Modiji’s Independence Day speech, but on ground there has been no change. It (New Delhi) is indulging in half hearted measures in Kashmir which can’t change the ground situation,” he added.

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