Don't dream about Art 370 restoration: J&K BJP chief tells parties

“Some leaders are still dreaming about the restoration of Article 370 which is next to impossible,” Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) BJP president Ravinder Raina has said.

Raina on Saturday (June 26) advised political parties to leave that chapter behind and take part in the Assembly polls whenever they are held.

Speaking to reporters at his party headquarters, upon his return from New Delhi, he said, “The Centre is bound to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Some leaders are still dreaming about the restoration of Article 370 which gave birth to separatism, terrorism and Pakistani ideology in J&K and claimed lakhs of lives and caused pain to the people. Its restoration is next to impossible. It cannot be restored till doomsday.”

Also read: Statehood first, elections only then: J&K party leaders tell Centre

Raina, his senior party colleagues and former deputy chief ministers, Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta, attended the June 24 all-party meeting on J&K chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Flanked by Gupta and other party leaders, the J&K BJP president said, on June 26, that the meeting ended the nearly two-and-a-half-year long political deadlock in the union territory.

When asked about PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks that she would not take part in elections Article 370 was restored, Raina said, “Registered political parties should now move on and work for the welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

“They should take part in the elections whenever held. It is their democratic right everyone should take part in the elections even if held early,” Raina said. He later added that during the meeting in the national capital, leaders discussed all issues in a cordial atmosphere including the restoration of statehood.

Rain mentioned that Home Minister Amit Shah made it clear to the participants that he had assured on the floor of the house that statehood would be restored when the situation got normal. The Prime Minister had also, in his address to the nation, talked about the restoration of statehood.

He said some leaders, toeing their respective party line, are also talking about Ladakh, but they need to understand the region is a separate Union Territory. “Ladakh was carved out of J&K and made a separate Union Territory on August 5, 2019. That is the truth.”

Also read: We don’t expect Centre to restore Article 370: Omar Abdullah

When asked about the statement of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram that the Centre wants to hold Assembly elections before restoring the statehood to J&K, Raina said, “He was not in the meeting but there are some leaders in the Congress who are making anti-national statements. They should stop making those.”

He said that all the 14 participants put forth their viewpoint in the meeting and they also raised all issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir. “We became the strong voice of the nationalist people of Jammu and Kashmir and talking on all issues from delimitation to a dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits,” he said, adding, “we asked the Centre to set up an apex committee to prepare a roadmap for their return”.

Raina mentioned the BJP delegation, highlighted the issues of different sections of the society including the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and demanded de-freezing of some of the seats reserved for PoK areas in the J&K Assembly which they are separately raising with the delimitation commission.

Also read: BJP dumps Article 370 and political niceties; portends ominous possibilities

He said the prime minister’s assertion that he wanted to end ‘Dilli ki duri’ (distance from Delhi and distance of hearts) during the June 24 meeting makes it clear that the doors of New Delhi are open for the people of J&K.”

The prime minister’s call was to come together in the interest of the nation to fulfil the dream of New J&K and Strong J&K. The government will ensure adequate funds for all-round development of J&K,” Raina concluded.