TN parties divided over scrapping of Article 370

The ruling AIADMK continued the stride of supporting the BJP-led Centre on crucial bills, on Monday the party welcomed the scrapping of special status to Kashmir by the Union government. 

Whereas, DMK president MK Stalin condemned the move to revoke special status to Kashmir as a “dark day in the history of Indianfederalism.”

“We the AIADMK government welcome and support the two resolutions and the reorganisation of Kashmir,” AIADMK party Rajya Sabha leader A Navaneetha Krishnan said during the debate in the upper house. “Honourable Amma (Jayalalithaa) is known for upholding the sovereignty and integrity of the country. So we, the AIADMK government, Amma’s government, is supporting the resolutions,” Navaneetha Krishnan said drawing laud applause from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who introduced the bills on Kashmir amidst uproar fromthe Opposition.

Reacting to it Stalin tweeted, “The decision by the Centre to repeal Article 370 and re-organise Jammu & Kashmir with many state leaders under house arrest and through a pliant Governor goes against the grain of democracy and constitutionalism.”

Stalin also urged the “President of India to not precipitate the situation and not take any further steps in this regard until a democratically elected Government is formed there.”

“The Article 370 is only temporary in nature. And also, Part 21 of the Constitution reads the article as temporary, transitional with special provisions. So Article 370 is temporary in nature and now the Union government has correctly brought in two resolutions and the two enactments. Further, there is nothing to worry on this issue,” Navaneetha Krishnan said.

The AIADMK MP also lent his support to the reservation bill, 2019 which grants 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes in government jobs and educational institutions.

The DMK president also expressed solidarity with Kashmiris and said that his party stands with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters and will oppose any assault on federal structure. Stating that it was condemnable that the decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution was taken when a democratically elected government was not in place in the state, Stalin, in a statement issued in this regard, said the decision was taken only divert public attention from issues like the economic distress, job loss and closure of industries affecting the country. The intention of the Centre has been revealed by it taking the decision without consulting the political parties in the state and creating an emergency like situation by placing the state politicians under house arrest and the severing telecommunication in Kashmir, Stalin who is also the Leader of Opposition remarked.

It was very saddening that the BJP was only focussing on giving effect to its party ideology instead of respect the sentiments of the Kashmir people who stood by India, the DMK president added.

Joining the issue, state Congress president KS Alagiri said that it was shameful that the ruling AIADMK has supported the bill moved by the Centre in the Rajya Sabha for abrogating Article 370. Accusing the AIADMK of pretending to sideline the BJP in Vellore campaign to garner the support of minorities, Alagiri said the people would not pardon the party for supporting the fascist and sectarian act of the BJP.

Meanwhile, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran said that the Centre had failed to consult with people of Kashmir on the crucial issue. The Centre should have discussed the issue in Parliament and also consider the sentiments of the Kashmiris. This has been an issue even before Independence and by scraping the Article and the special status, the Centre has added more tension to the state of Kashmir and this hasty decision will only fuel terrorism in Jammu Kashmir. Now it is the responsibility of the Union government to protect and secure the residents of Kashmir, Dhinakaran said.