No change in stand on abrogation of Article 370: BJP

The statement comes in the backdrop of Narendra Modi's remark at a rally in Jammu calling for a debate on the issue

BJP today said there is no change in its stand on abrogation of Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the constitutional provision has created hurdles in the development and full integration of the state with the rest of the country.

The party's statement comes in the backdrop of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's remark at a rally in Jammu earlier this month that it should be debated whether the constitutional provision had been beneficial for the state.

"The position of BJP on Article 370 has not changed. BJP continues to reiterate abrogation of Article 370," the party's national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters here.

She categorically said there is no change in BJP's position on this issue, nor did Modi dilute the party's position and nor is his position different from BJP.

Sitharaman said after Modi's call for a debate on the issue during his Lalkaar rally on December 1, it was felt that a healthy debate on Article 370, which was only a temporary provision for smooth integration of J&K, has begun.

She said BJP has always advocated abrogation of this special provision in the Constitution and by asking for a debate on it, the party wanted the people to themselves realise the disadvantages suffered by them on account of it as it has only harmed the state, created hurdles in the development and full integration with the rest of the country.

On the Judicial Commission's interim report based on which the J&K government reinstated Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo into the Cabinet, she said BJP objected to the decision of the NC-Congress coalition government in the state.

It was felt, in the interest of justice, that the government should have waited for the final report to re-induct Kitchloo, if at all, the BJP leader said.

Kitchloo was re-inducted as a Minister in the Omar Abdullah government after a judicial commission probing the communal riots in Kishtwar gave him a clean chit.