Congress divided on Kashmir issue, Jyotiraditya Scindia supports Modi govt

Surprising everyone, Scindia said he supports the government's decision to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "I support the move on #JammuAndKashmir & #Ladakh and its full integration into union of India. Would have been better if constitutional process had been followed. No questions could have been raised then. Nevertheless, this is in our country’s interest and I support this."

Earlier, in what is seen as a major faux pas in Parliament on behalf of the Congress, Lok Sabha Opposition leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised a question on whether Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter of the country.

Addressing the Lower House of Parliament, Adhir said, "I am doubtful so I want to know. You are saying that Article 370 is an internal matter. You have also bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir. But I want to know whether Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter as the state was being monitored by the United Nations since 1948 and also we did Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration."

"Few days ago, S Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister) told the US that Kashmir is our bilateral matter. Even after all these, can Jammu and Kashmir be an internal matter?"

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi finally broke his silence on the matter and alleged that national integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K.

He tweeted, "National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land. This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security."

Rahul also demanded the immediate release of the mainstream Kashmiri leaders likes former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

He called the arrest of the leaders as 'unconstituional and undemocratic'.

"Kashmir’s mainstream political leaders have been jailed at secret locations. This is unconstitutional & undemocratic. It’s also short sighted and foolish because it will allow terrorists to fill the leadership vaccum created by GOI. The imprisoned leaders must be released," he tweeted.

The Congress has been taken to an edge as several of its prominent leaders have backed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s step to scrap Article 370 and Article 35A, which were used to grant Jammu and Kashmir a special status.

Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora even tweeted: "Unfortunate that Article 370 is being converted into liberal versus conservative debate. Parties should put aside ideological fixations and debate what's best for India's sovereignty, peace in Jammu and Kashmir, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits." 

Indian Government decision:

Both houses of the Parliament passed the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 which proposes to bifurcate the terror-hit northern state into two Union Territories - J&K, a Union Territory with Legislative Assembly, and Ladakh, a UT without Legislative Assembly.

Also the Modi government scrapped Article 35 A and Article 370 which were used to give Jammu and Kashmir a special status.

Article 35A of the Indian Constitution allows the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and also provides special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.

Article 370 allows Jammu and Kashmir to have its own constitution, flag and right to handle its own laws except on matters that impact national security.

The Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 will soon become a law with the clearance of both the Houses of the Parliament.

Jyotiraditya Scindia Twitter page