Union Home Minister of India Shri Amit Shah today moved a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to make Article 370 revoked in Jammu and Kashmir.
Article 370 in Brief
Article 370 provides a special status to the states in operative, hence: Jammu and Kashmir in many respects – central Govt only have limited access and authority over external affairs, defence and communication. Article 370 relates to “temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” and limits “the power of Parliament to make laws for” the state to a specified list of subjects.
Is Article 370 can be Revoked?
Yes, there is a way to revoke the clauses of article 370 which gives special status to Jummu and Kashmir and that can only be done only by the President India anytime by public interest and notification according to the section 3 of Article 370.
Article 370(3) reads, “Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify”
Along with this, Amit Shah also presented a resolution for reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir. J&K will be a Union Territory with a legislature while Ladakh will be a separate Union Territory without a legislature, according to India Today.
During the process and development of scrapping the Article 370 in Kashmir, situation become unstable. National Congress chief Omar Abdullah, PDP supremo Mehbooba Mufti and People Conference’s Sajad Lone were put under house arrest.
“I believe I’m being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I’ll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store,” National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had tweeted.
“To the people of Kashmir, we don’t know what is in store for us but I am a firm believer that whatever Almighty Allah has planned it is always for the better, we may not see it now but we must never doubt his ways. Good luck to everyone, stay safe & above all PLEASE STAY CALM,” Omar had said.
PDP chief and former J&K Minister Mehbuba Mufti also said,
“How ironic that elected representatives like us who fought for peace are under house arrest. The world watches as people & their voices are being muzzled in J&K. The same Kashmir that chose a secular democratic India is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude. Wake up India.”
No doubt, its a historic move to abolish the clause which differentiate Jammu and Kashmir from Other states in India. Its a move towards “ONE INDIA, PROUD INDIA”.
