PDP, People’s Conference seek restoration of Articles 370, 35A

A group of MLAs, including from the PDP and the Peoples' Conference, on Thursday submitted a fresh resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly demanding immediate restoration of Articles 370 and 35A in their original form.

They also called for the reversal of all changes introduced in the Union territory after the erstwhile state was stripped of its special status in 2019.

The resolution was submitted by PDP legislators Waheed Para and Fayaz Mir, Peoples' Conference MLA Sajad Lone, Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed (brother of MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid) and independent MLA Shabir Kullay. They said the Assembly should put their resolution before the house for voting.

“This House strongly condemns the unconstitutional and unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, along with the enactment of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, by the Government of India. These actions stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and statehood, undermining the foundational guarantees and protections originally accorded to the region and its people by the Constitution of India,” the resolution said.

Stating that this “House unequivocally demands the immediate restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A in their original, unaltered form, and calls for the reversal of all changes introduced by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019,” the resolution stated, “We further urge the Government of India to respect the constitutional and democratic sanctity of Jammu & Kashmir by reinstating all special provisions and guarantees intended to preserve its distinct identity, culture, and political autonomy.”

Today’s resolution comes a day after the Assembly passed a resolution seeking a dialogue for “restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees”, also calling upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the media later, Sajad Lone said they have named it “people’s resolution.”

“Without tinkering with the words, we have condemned the August 5, 2019, decision. We demand that this resolution is put before the House and voting be done on this. Our demand is that Article 370 and 35A should be restored,” he said.

Lone also urged people to come on social media and endorse this resolution.

The Modi government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Article 35A gave special rights to the permanent residents of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.