Srinagar, May 28 (KMW): Reacting strongly to the recent political jargons about the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution President of Awami National Conference (ANC) Begum Khalida Shah stated that all those leaders who have been talking about the review and abrogation of Article 370 for mere political mileage must remember and read that it happens to be the very basis of J&K’s accession to India and any change to this fundamental law is going to challenge the very basis of accession of J&K to India.
According to a statement issued to KMW, Begum Shah further stated that having been a foot-soldier of Kashmir’s struggle against the autocratic rule and revolution towards freedom from the same she knew the very grounds and details about the said article. Begum Shah stated that it was due to the Article 370 only that J&K received special status in India, which allowed it to have its own constitution and gave the central government the right to legislate on only 3 issues, viz:- defense, currency and international relations and keeping the rest as internal matters. She stressed on the leaders to stop gaining cheap mileage over an issue which forms the ground of existence of the state of J&K within India.
Referring to history Begum Shah stated that prior to the incorporation of article 370 in the constitution of India, great deal of deliberations were held with Shiekh Muhammad Abdullah, Mirza Afzal Beigh, Moulana Mohammad Sayed Maoosdi and Tilak Raj Anad and other representatives from the Indian side and it was after these excessive deliberations that article 370 as per a democratic set-up was incorporated in the constitution of India taking well in confidence two stalwart leaders namely Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. Begum Shah warned that any meddling with the article would yield serious repercussion in the basic structure of relations between the GoI and the State of J&K.
