Article 35A & a polarized debate around J&K
- IndiaGlitz, [Tuesday,August 08 2017]
Article 35A of the Indian Constitution, which provides for special privileges to state subjects of Jammu & Kashmir in matters related to employment, acquisition of immovable property, etc has found itself in the midst of a polarized debate on social media, not to speak of mainstream politics.
Ahead of a Supreme Court bench's scheduled judgment on the repeal of the crucial Article, BJP's ally PDP has come to be seen as supporting the Opposition parties, especially the National Conference and the Congress, on the issue, all of which are pro-Article 35A.
On Twitter, BJP's supporters are demanding that the Centre should work towards abrogating the Article at a time when the President and the Vice-President themselves hail from a BJP background.
A strong Nationalist opinion is emerging in favour of diluting and/or scrapping Article 370, too. "Mark my words. If there is anything that'll put #Kashmir on the path of peace, progress and development that is scrapping Article 370 & 35A," a commentator said.
"The climate is exactly right for abolishing 370 and 35A. Notwithstanding the theatre by Valley politicians," Sanjay Dixit, an IAS officer has said.
On the other hand, those against the scrapping of the constitutional provisions are fearing a worsening of the ground situation in the Kashmir Valley in some days.