The president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday slammed the Centre over the nullification of Article 370, calling it an “attempt to loot Jammu & Kashmir”, and said that new orders by the administration led by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha were “testimony to the attack” on the region’s economy and social fabric.
“I have been meeting several delegations in Jammu for the past few days. Following abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, we were sold dreams of rivers of milk and honey everywhere in J&K, especially in Jammu, but the move has aggravated problems...be it jobs, livelihood or our identity,” Mufti told reporters.
The special status accorded to J&K under the Constitution were revoked on August 5, 2019 — a move opposed by mainstream parties in the state.
Mufti also slammed the LG’s administration for dismissing government employees “without being proven guilty by the courts”, and the decision to do away with the Darbar move (the biannual shifting of the seat of power to Srinagar and Jammu).
Mufti questioned the need for a delimitation exercise, which was stressed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an all-party meeting on June 23.
J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, said: “...those who sympathise with Article 370 are in reality sympathisers of Pakistan and separatists and not of the common people of J&K.”
{{/usCountry}}J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, said: “...those who sympathise with Article 370 are in reality sympathisers of Pakistan and separatists and not of the common people of J&K.”
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