The Congress Working Committee late Tuesday deplored the "unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic" manner in which provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated by the government into two Union Territories.
At a meeting of the Congress's highest decision-making body, the party accused the BJP of violating constitutional law, the states' rights, parliamentary procedure and democratic governance.
Party sources said various party leaders made their points and the leadership respected the sentiments expressed by each of them. Rahul Gandhi said the party would stand with its ideology and opposed the manner in which the government went ahead with the decision against all democratic and constitutional norms, the sources said.
Gandhi, the sources added, pointed out that the party respected the sentiments of all, including those who have expressed divergent views as per the sentiment of people in their respective states and areas, but the party had to go by its ideological stand.
Priyanka Gandhi also expressed similar views.
The meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, was attended by top party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, A K Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram besides Priyanka Gandhi, and they deliberated on the party's strategy going forward on J&K.
Former state chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad explained the entire Kashmir situation and the aftermath of the government's decision.
The meeting of the CWC came after the party took a stand against the government action, while several Congress leaders such as Jyotiraditya Scindia and Janardan Dwivedi struck a divergent view and supported the Centre's action.
It was held soon after Parliament approved the government's action of revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the border state into two Union Territories. The Congress has strongly opposed the move in both houses of Parliament and termed the government action as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
While some leaders expressed divergent views on the issue at the meeting, the resolution adopted at the meeting was unanimous.
"The CWC deplores the unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic manner in which Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated and the State of Jammu and Kashmir was dismembered by misinterpreting the provisions of the Constitution," the CWC resolution stated.
Reading out the resolution, Chidambaram said, "Every principle of Constitutional law, States' rights, Parliamentary procedure and democratic governance was violated."
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