Jammu, May 29 :National Conference (NC) provincial president Devendra Singh Rana today said Jana Sangh Shyama founder Prasad Mukhrejee was also party to Article 370.
“How can they wish away this historical fact while generating passions over the issue”, Mr Rana told reporters here this evening while referring to the debates of the Constituent Assembly wherein Mr Mukherjee, in his capacity as a member,never opposed the Article 370 and became a signatory to the Constitution.
Mr Rana reiterated that Article 370 is a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country while assailing the policy statement of the Union Government with regard to initiation of ‘process of scrapping this vital constitutional proviso’.
“NC opposes any such move which jeopardises the legitimate guarantee enshrined in the Constitution of India for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”, the Provincial President said.
He said Article 370 cannot be abrogated and added, “My party would appreciate a debate, which in fact has already been volunteered by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, with any political party across the country.”
He said Article 370 is part of Indian Constitution which has come into force after detailed and threadbare discussions by stalwarts like Sardar Patel, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Gopalaswamy Aiyenger and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Mirza Afzal Beig and Moti Ram Baigda.
However, Mr Rana urged the people not to get carried away by the mischievous propaganda unleashed by the proponents of abrogation of Article 370.
“The statement of the Minister of State in PMO has vitiated this spirit”, he said, adding the remarks cannot be ignored as off-the-cuff.
The row over Article 370 of the Indian Constitution rose after the MoS in the PMO Jitendra Singh declared two days earlier that the new government at the Centre has started the process for repealing the provision. Dr Singh has since said he has been “misquoted”.
