Opposition National Conference (NC), said that RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks about the need for constitutional amendments to repeal J&K’s special status was a matter of shame for the PDP. 

The party asked the PDP to introspect about the costs that the State could pay because of its abject surrender to the BJP and the RSS to remain in power. 

“J&K’s special status was the only constitutional bridge that connected J&K to the rest of the country and the RSS Chief should stop misleading the people to stoke passions in the face of growing criticism over the drastic economic slowdown in the country,” NC said in a statement issued here. 

“While the RSS and the BJP have repeatedly made their intentions absolutely clear with regard to Article 35-A and Article 370, it is the PDP’s apologetic silence that is a matter of grave concerns and is indicative of a complete sell-out that could have dangerous and far-reaching implications for the State and its people,” the statement said. 

The statement asked the PDP to stop adding insult to injury by still talking about its alleged, fictitious ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ with the BJP that had clearly mentioned that BJP had agreed to a status-quo on the State’s Special Status. 

“Far from agreeing on a ‘status-quo’, BJP and RSS has intensified its overt and covert activities against Article 35-A and Article 370 and Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks go on to reveal the seriousness and gravity of this onslaught on J&K’s political rights and dignity”, the statement further said. 

“The judicial activism that has resulted in Article 35-A being under judicial review in the Supreme Court is a direct result of RSS’s elaborate plan aimed at abrogating the State’s Special Status by litigations and petitions filed through affiliate hitherto unknown organizations. What is alarming is the State Government’s lacklustre and unprofessional legal defence of Article 35-A and also the fact that the Central Government chose to not file a writer counter affidavit defending the Article. This has made it evidently clear that both PDP and BJP are on the same page and the elaborate, melodramatic fixed-match is aimed at providing a cover to the RSS to further its long-held ideological agenda with respect to Jammu and Kashmir”, the statement added. 

“BJP has officially and publicly reiterated that there is no change in its goal of abrogating Article 370 and repealing Article 35-A. Despite such reiterations from the BJP, PDP has chosen to remain in an alliance with them exhibiting its self-seeking lust for political power at any cost. The same PDP leaders who used to wax eloquent in newspaper columns about BJP’s nefarious agenda are now not only silent but acting as go-betweens between the BJP and the PDP, having reaped personal and political dividends of their sheer hypocrisy. Every moral lecture that PDP gave before the 2014 election is now a reminder of the party’s U-turns and its failure to protect the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, it said. 

“It is for the Chief Minister to take a call of her conscience and, for once, show some courage in the face of this onslaught against the State by her allies. Her failure to stand up to this onslaught would result in unimaginable consequences for the entire State and deeply affect peace and stability in the region. Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Status is non-negotiable and cannot be wished away by the BJP and RSS but PDP’s surrender has not only emboldened their will but has also given political space for such unfortunate remarks”, the statement added.

Guest