Article 370 gets a firm approval from BJP now

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 20

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir is not a hurdle in the country’s relationship with the Himalayan state and holding of talks for a solution to the Kashmir crisis.

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In a clear signal that the Centre has no objection to the existing special status of the state, BJP national president Amit Shah declared in no uncertain terms that “the abrogation of Article 370 is not necessary for a solution to the Kashmir crisis”, a reverse gear to the core issue of the BJP since its Jan Sangh days when it fought for “one flag, one head of the state and one Constitution” for all the states in the union.

Accompanying this political message, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley underlined in Srinagar the economic and constitutional autonomy of the state when he announced that “Jammu and Kashmir can pass its legislation in the state Assembly regarding goods and services tax (GST) in sync with its special status”.

It is a reaffirmation of the message underscored in the ruling PDP-BJP’s “Agenda of Alliance”: “While recognising the different positions and appreciating the perceptions BJP and PDP have on the constitutional status of J&K, considering the political and legislative realities, the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to J&K, including the special status in the Constitution of India.”

It has unveiled the purpose of organising the GST Council meet in Srinagar on May 18-19, to deliver a profound message to the people of Kashmir that the BJP at the Centre respects the most sensitive concern of the people. It also is a resounding rebuff to all those voices in the separatist and mainstream club that the “BJP was undermining the special status of the state, or it is backing the RSS to effect a demographic change in the Muslim majority state”.

The timings of these announcements are significant for there is a lot of clamour that Delhi should initiate a dialogue with all stakeholders and the preservation of the special status is one of the core issues.