PUF kick starts signature campaign to protect Article 35-A, 370, against delimitation
Lawyers of Jammu, civil society deserve appreciation for standing with special status: Shah Faesal
Srinagar: People’s United Front on Wednesday kick started signature campaign seeking protection of Article 35-A and 370 and asking BJP government at the Centre not to “enforce any unconstitutional delimitation”.
Veteran Kashmiri Pandit, Ashok Karihuloo was the first to put his signature supporting Special status of the state including 35-A and 370 at the inauguration of the event in Srinagar.
In a statement, the PUF warned Centre of “serious consequences if it continues to play with the emotions and sentiments of people of J&K by dragging state into controversial issues and debates”.
Addressing a press conference, PUF leader and JKPM president Dr Shah Faesal thanked people of Jammu in general and members of Jammu BAR association in particular for showing their concerns over Article 35-A and 370.
Dr Faesal warned New Delhi of its “misadventures” and said that if New Delhi was “still keen for delimitation it must wait till assembly elections are over and let New Assembly take a call over the issue”.
He said that unity and integrity of state had to be protected at all costs “and PUF is ready to support all such voices who believe in unity and integrity of state”.
Faesal urged New Delhi to “respect all mutual agreements between Union of India and J&K”.
Chairman Co-ordination Committee PUF, Javid Mustafa Mir said on the occasion that New Delhi “should restrain from diluting the special status and the issue is not only about Kashmir but that of entire state”.
AIP President, Er Rasheed during the press conference asked BJP to “tell masses in India if agenda of BJP is more important than that of Indian constitution”.
“The way people all over the state are showing their concern over Article 35-A and 370 it should be an eye opener for BJP,” Rasheed said.
He said that “no one is afraid of delimitation but by talking about discrimination with Jammu region, a wedge is being created between various regions and various communities without any logic, which is most unfortunate”.
“If BJP has so much of lust of power, they must win hearts and minds of people, so that their mission +44 is achieved and no one can object to their being in power”.
Rasheed said that the signature campaign will be taken to every constituency and every village of the state as protecting special status and preventing unauthorized delimitation is priority for every citizen of the state.
He appealed masses to support the signature campaign and said that the signature campaign is most prompt and civilized way to tell people of India and rest of the world that what Kashmiris stand for.
He added that PUF was “always open for unity and we left no stone unturned to take NC, PDP and others into confidence to have a joint strategy for protecting the special status”.
He added that PUF was “still awaiting initiatives from NC to call all party meet”.
Rasheed said that if mainstream parties were not interested in taking concrete measures, “PUF will do whatever possible and required on its own to defend the special status and stop illegal delimitation of assembly constituencies”.
Over the BJP’s call for delimitation of assembly constituencies in Jammu region, Rasheed said that the “perception about Jammu having less number of seats is wrong as during past thirty years Kashmiris have preferred not to enrol themselves as voters due to turmoil”.
“Thus some are under the assumption that Assembly segments in Kashmir have less number of votes as compared to Jammu region,” he said.
Rasheed condemned PDP members in Rajya Sabha for abstaining from voting on Triple Talaq bill.
“Triple Talaq bill is simply infiltration in religious affairs and unacceptable. Rather claiming to be caring for Muslim women union government should focus on mob lynching. While one can little expect from parliamentarians of rest of the India but the shameful abstention from voting over the bill by PDP members is unacceptable and exposes PDP’s real face,” he said.
The AI chief also called for restrain at borders and expressed concern over cross LOC shelling in Karnah and Uri areas. He said that the life in border areas was becoming miserable.
KV News
