BJP’s attack on state government’s rights, says CPM

In a statement issued here, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said that the special provisions guaranteed by the Indian Constitution to the state of Jammu and Kashmir were the result of the princely state signing the instrument of accession to the Indian Union after negotiations between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sheik Abdullah, a leader of the Kashmir.

“The Centre has acted against the Indian Constitution by ignoring the historical facts,” he said, adding that the decision to scrap the special provision guaranteed under the Constitution and bifurcation of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh as two separate centrally administered Union Territories is nothing but a murder of the democracy. “This is the reflection of the BJP government’s attack on the state government and the state rights,” he noted. 

The CPM called upon the people of India to strongly protest against these illegal and unconstitutional methods employed by the Narendra Modi government. “These are not issues confined to Jammu and Kashmir alone. They constitute an attack on democracy, federalism and the constitutional order,” he said.

Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan termed the way in which Article 370 and 35A was scrapped is a clear assault on democracy. “Notwithstanding the ruling party’s majority, its fundamental that such a major decision is taken after putting it up for discussion in the Parliament. Article 370 and Article 35A have a genesis and any change to the same has to be in a consultative manner,” he said. 

Pointing out that the legality to revoke the special provisions in the Constitution should be a separate discussion, MNM questioned the attitude of the BJP government to shut opposition by a force which is nothing but a murder of democracy. “It was demonetisation the last term and Article 370 this term. This extremely regressive and autocratic,” he said.