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Integral review of Art 370 must: Karan Singh
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 29
Distressed by the “fierce controversy” over the “avoidable statement” by Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Article 370, senior Congress leader and Member of Rajya Sabha Karan Singh today said the prevailing situation would only create turmoil and tension in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh, who is the former Sadr-e-Riyasat, in a statement said: “The whole question is extremely sensitive and must be handled coolly and in a mature fashion. The sort of statements issued from both sides will only create further tension in J&K”.

He appealed to all concerned to “tone down the rhetoric and not let the minister’s statement plunge the new government almost immediately into a complex and difficult situation”. He said the question of Jammu and Kashmir had to be looked at in an integral fashion, including the international dimension, the constitutional position, the legal aspects as well as the political aspects.

“Such an integral review is overdue, but it has to be done in a cooperative rather than a confrontational manner,” he said.

“Let it be recalled that my father Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in October 1947 under unusual circumstances when a full-scale war was raging due to the Pakistani-based tribal invasion,” he said, adding that it was true that that Instrument was exactly the same as the document signed by all other former provincial states.

While the other states later signed merger agreements, the relationship of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country was governed by a special set of circumstances, and hence given a special position, he said.

“The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, which I signed into law in 1957, is still in force,” he said.

He asserted that Jammu and Kashmir was an “integral part” of India, but said “it does not necessarily mean that it has to be treated exactly on a par with other states. Hong Kong is an ‘integral part’ of China but has been given a special dispensation. There are in fact numerous examples around the world in which, due to special circumstances, certain areas or regions have been given a special dispensation.”

He described all voices of secession as “totally unacceptable and uncalled for”, and said the steam-roller approach was also not appropriate.