Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti stoked a fresh controversy by asking the Centre to 'quit' Kashmir if they believe that special status under Article 370 and Article 35A has caused maximum damage to the restive state.
"If they (the Government of India) feels that Kashmir is in loss, it is high time for them to leave Kashmir. If Prime Minister thinks that Kashmir has suffered due to Article 370, which is the basis of our relationship with the Union of India, why don't they leave Kashmir? If Kashmir is in loss then leave it. Why should they endure losses for so many years?" Mehbooba asked.
The PDP president was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that Article 370 and 35A have done maximum damage to the state.
"Article 370 and 35A are not only in the interest of J&K but in the interest of the rest of the country as well. Anyone talking about scrapping J&K's special status is trying to sow seeds of discord and create new fault lines. If any harm is done to J&K's unique status, the state will erupt in conflagration and its relation with India will cease to exist," she said.
Under Article 35A, Indian citizens, other than the state subjects of J&K, cannot acquire immovable property, get state government jobs and avail state-sponsored scholarship schemes in the terrorism-infested state.
Under the Special Status enshrined in the Constitution of India under Article 370, J&K has a separate flag, constitution and Penal Code. Unlike the rest of the nation, which is governed by the Indian Penal Code to deal with criminal offenses, J&K is guided by the Ranbir Penal Code to deal with crimes.
BJP was quick to hit back at Mehbooba, asking her to go to Pakistan because J&K is an integral part of India. "J&K has suffered due to the special status. Kashmir is an integral part of India. Mehbooba should leave Kashmir and go to Pakistan because she loves it," said Yudhvir Sethi, general secretary of J&K BJP.
