BJP asked to come clean on provision

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 25

Members of the civil society of Jammu have expressed surprise over the ‘dubious’ stand taken by the ruling BJP on Article 35A. They have asked the saffron party to come clean on the Article and protect the rights of Dalits and women.

In a seminar organised by an NGO, Ikk Jutt Jammu, on the topic ‘Article 35A: Jammu Under Siege’, speakers on Saturday put onus on the BJP to get the ‘discriminatory’ Article removed.

“The Article is depriving the weaker sections and women of their constitutional rights so its abrogation is must to ensure equality and justice in society,” said Madhu Kishwar, eminent activist. She argued that the Article was contrary to the core principles of the Constitution.

Social media activist Sonam Mahajan of Bangalore cautioned people against, what she alleged, a ‘distorted narrative’ created by supporters of the Article.

“We have to educate the masses about the dangerous consequences of Article 35A which is the biggest constitutional fraud,” she observed.

President of ‘Ikk Jutt Jammu’ Ankur Sharma said: “Article 35A denied fundamental rights to West Pakistan refugees, Gorkhas and Valmikis living in Jammu.”

“The Union Government should immediately issue a Presidential Order to abrogate the Article,” he said. He informed the gathering at the seminar that the intervention application filed by his organisation had been accepted by the Supreme Court.

Former Dean of the University of Jammu Hari Om, Udhampur MLA Pawan Gupta and chairman, Panun Kashmir, Ajay Chrungoo also spoke on the occasion.

Lawyers, members of the business community, teachers from universities and colleges and representatives from various parts of the Jammu region attended the seminar.