Congress too dumps West Pakistan refugees and others, 35A being used to polarize

Jammu, Aug 08: The Congress party has made it very clear that entire unit of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) is unitedly supporting the retention of Article 35A. In other words retention of 35A is the national policy of Congress which was clarified in a telephonic chat with anchor of one of the prominent TV channels by the Chief Spokesperson of Congress. When questioned by the anchor about division on the issue amongst the Jammu based leaders of Congress, the Chief Spokesperson vehemently denied any such difference in opinion and confirmed that entire Party stood solidly behind the demand of retention of article 35A. Thus, the Congress party has admitted that it had been merely playing vote bank politics with West Pakistan refugees, Gorkhas, Valmiki Samaj and the daughters of the soil every time on the eve of elections by promising  grant of their rights to them, stated Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party. “There are enough remedies available to meet the aspirations of the affected people without tinkering with Article 35A but the leadership of Kashmir centric parties, who have been ruling the state, have never been sincere about addressing their genuine grievances because their entire politics revolves around the Kashmiri-speaking Muslims,” blamed Brig Gupta.

These political parties want to play politics in name of Article 35A through emotional exploitation of the people and create polarisation in the state on the basis of notorious Dixon Plan, warned Brig Gupta. Article 9 of the Constitution of J&K permits changing the definition of Permanent Citizen if needed. However, no government so far has availed the remedy provided by the Constitution to resolve the citizenship issue of West Pakistan refugees (WPR), Gurkhas, Valmiki Samaj, questioned Brig Gupta. It is the lack of intent and not lack of mechanics available to address the issue.
“While Maharaja Hari Singh's Farman aimed at protecting the rights of his subjects, what has been the intention of Kashmiri leadership right from Sheikh Abdullah? If Article 9 can be revoked to grant permanent citizenship to Tibetan Muslim refugees, why the same cannot be done in respect of Hindu refugees of Jammu region? It obviously is to protect state's Muslim majority character? And these parties call themselves as Secular and dub BJP as communal?
What an irony?Secularism means equal opportunities for all. It means inclusivity and not exclusivity,” rued Brig Gupta.

Similarly, in the case of Bachan Lal Kalgotra, Supreme Court of India had advised the J&K government in its judgement in 1987 to meet the justifiable grievances of WPR by amending legislatures such as J&K Representation of Peoples Act, the Land Alienation Act, the Village Panchayat Act, without having to amend state’s constitution or touching Article 35A. But none of the governments thereafter ever paid any heed to the advice of the Supreme Court because they were not interested in resolving the issue but keep it alive for vote bank politics and polarisation, as and when needed, accused Brig Gupta.

“As far as gender inequality is concerned, despite the favourable judgement in SushilaSawhney case, it is highly condemnable that both NC and PDP attempted to misuse the provision of Article 9 by introducing bill in the assembly titled Women (Disqualification) Bill to deny to the women their just rights. Fortunately the Bills did not see the light of the day,” said Brig Gupta. He further added that even now the hullabaloo created by these parties is aimed at disturbing the fragile peace in the Valley that has emerged after imposition of Governor’s Rule.