BJP challenges Omar to debate on Article 370
April 11th, 2009 - 9:22 pm ICT by IANS
Jammu, April 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday challenged Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to a debate on whether Article 370 of the constitution that grants special status to the state had done it any good or harm.
“Omar Abdullah is welcome to have a debate whether the Article 370 has benefited the state or caused damage to it,” BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said at an election rally here.
The BJP, in its poll manifesto, said it remained firm on abrogating Article 370 of the constitution which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim majority state.
The article enables the state have its own constitution and flag. It also bars outsiders from government jobs, buying immovable property or voting.
Abdullah has said that no party can alter the provision of the Article 370, leave alone scrapping it.
“Omar Abdullah says that no party can touch Article 370. Let him have a look at the constitutional provision which says that it is temporary and transient,” Jaitley said.
He also pointed out that India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had said the article would gradually get erased over time.
- Government clueless about anarchy in Kashmir: Advani - Aug 08, 2010
- Army being demonised in Kashmir: Advani - Nov 16, 2011
- Congress, PDP slam BJP's flag hoisting plan - Jan 06, 2011
- Referendum on Kashmir's special status 'not good': Gadkari - Dec 24, 2009
- Omar reserves comment on interlocutor's report - May 24, 2012
- BJP resolution against Kashmir interlocutors' report - May 24, 2012
- Omar should quit at the earliest: Advani - Oct 17, 2010
- Kashmir problem is Nehru's special gift to India: Advani - Jun 26, 2011
- Review central laws applicable in Kashmir: Interlocutors (Lead) - May 24, 2012
- Autonomy recommendations fuel political debate in Kashmir - Mar 20, 2011
- Advani blogs against Kashmir's autonomy - Mar 22, 2010
- Don't remove AFSPA from Kashmir: Jaitley - Oct 28, 2011
- Jaitley slams Kashmir working group report - Dec 25, 2009
- Jammu-Kashmir BJP unit to boycott visiting interlocutors - Oct 27, 2010
- Omar's olive branch to army on AFSPA - Nov 24, 2011
Tags: arun jaitley, bharatiya janata party, bjp, constitution, constitutional provision, election rally, general secretary, government jobs, grants, immovable property, jammu and kashmir, jawaharlal nehru, kashmir, kashmir chief minister, kashmir india, manifesto, muslim majority, outsiders, poll, prime minister jawaharlal