Nadda accuses Opposition of 'confusing' people on Article 370

BJP's national working president J P Nadda here on Monday said Article 370 was a temporary provision in the Constitution and blamed the Abdullah family, late PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for "confusing" people about the special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a public meeting organised by the Chandigarh unit of BJP here, Nadda accused "some people" of indulging in corruption and hampering the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

"First Sheikh Abdullah, later Farooq Abdullah, and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, then Omar Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad used to say there is a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. They confused the world. It is not a special status," Nadda said.

Nadda asserted that the special status to J-K was temporary and transitional.

"From the very beginning, Article 370 was temporary and transitional," Nadda said, adding that there were no takers for the provision.

He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minsiter Amit Shah for the scrapping of the special status.

"The abrogation of Article 370 became possible because of Modi's will power and Amit Shah's strategy," said Nadda.

He said with the removal of the provision, Jammu and Kashmir had been fully integrated into India and now all 104 Indian laws would be implemented in the newly-carved union territory.

Nadda also slammed former Prime Minister Jawaha Lal Nehru for the "undocumented" Delhi Accord with National Conference founder Sheikh Abdullah.

Despite Maharaja Hari Singh signing the instrument of accession for full integration of J-K into India, it was Nehru who "entangled" the matter just to promote and establish Sheikh Abdullah, claimed Nadda.

"There was a Delhi Accord between Nehru and Abdullah which was not documented, not signed and not authenticated. It was decided that there would be a separate flag and Sadr-e-Riyasat," said Nadda.

He said the "unconstitutional" Article 35-A defined citizenship in Jammu and Kashmir and sowed the seeds of was secessionism.

"First one was a permanent resident certificate and another was a non-permanent resident certificate (NPRC). Those people who came from PoK to Srinagar were not residents and those refugees who came from West Pakistan were also not regarded as residents. Two types of citizenship were given which was against the Indian Constitution," said Nadda.

"Those who came from West Pakistan and settled in Jammu and Kashmir had no right to contest an election or vote," said Nadda, stating that former PMs Manmohan Singh, I K Gujaral and former deputy PM L K Advani hailed from West Pakistan.

Nadda further said tribal community Bakarwal too could not avail political reservation.

"Safai Karamcharis from Punjab who settled in Jammu and Kashmir were given the NPRC. If a woman married a man holding the NPRC, she lost the right over property," he said.

"Omar Abdullah who speaks English very well and Mufti Mohd. Sayeed had passed a Bill under which children of the women were denied rights in property," he said. Nadda accused leaders of the PDP and the NC of playing politics with children of Jammu and Kashmir.

"You ask leaders of the PDP and the NC where their children study and live. While their wards stayed abroad, they played politics with children of Jammu and Kashmir," alleged Nadda.

He said former PM Rajiv Gandhi had said the Panchayati Raj Act would be implemented but it could not happen in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP leader said there was great tourism potential in the region but no steps were taken to exploit it.

"Handicrafts of J-K were world famous and it required international marketing. Some people remained impediments in the development of Jammu and Kashmir and indulged in corruption. J-K bank is an example of that. Whosoever indulged in corruption will not be spared under Modi regime," said Nadda.