Debate on Art 35A 'deliberate' to hide PDP-BJP failure: Cong

Accusing the PDP-BJP coalition of "failure" on the governance front in Jammu and Kashmir, the state unit of the Congress today said a debate was "deliberately" being generated on Article 35A to divert attention of the people from the basic issues.
"To divert the attention of the people from basic issues, there is debate being generated deliberately regarding scraping of Article 35A," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) General Secretary Vikram Malhotra said addressing a protest rally here.
JKPCC staged the rally to protest the alleged failure of the government to provide "basic facilities of life" to the people of the state.

Scores of Congress workers including women activists carrying placards, sat at a 'dharna'.
Malhotra said Article 35A is subjudice and "everybody should refrain from commenting on it".
However, he said the state subject laws, which were incorporated by Maharaja Hari Singh and sanctioned by presidential orders in 1956, was introduced in the "interest of all three regions of the state, especially for Dogra community of Jammu".

"Before any further action on 35A, it should be widely debated among people of Jammu to understand its implications both for and against this Article," he added.
He expressed concern over the security situation in the state and said repeated terror attacks are claiming the lives of Army, police and paramilitary personnel every day.

"Militancy is on the rise and the state and Centre are confused and clueless about the policy on Pakistan," he said.