Parties may shun courts, fight politically for Article 370 restoration

Srinagar: Mainstream political parties who have recently decided to stand by the Gupkar declaration to fight for the restoration of Article 370 are seriously mulling to fight it politically in the Kashmir valley rather than in the Supreme Court where there are many writ petitions pending challenging the 5 August 2019 Parliament decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and downgrading the erstwhile state into two Union territories of Ladakh and J&K.

The reasons for such thinking have stemmed from the recent developments, including the 4G writ petition in Supreme Court and the recent assurance to the Ladakh delegation by the Union Home Minister that they will get new laws protecting their land and jobs on the pattern of Article 370.

While the Supreme Court gave all powers to the administration for the restoration of 4G services, an “ornamental restoration” was done in two districts of Jammu and Kashmir, with assurance that it would be a gradual process. The latest order by J&K administration said that 4G curbs will remain in the rest of districts barring those two, up to 21 October 2020.

A court recently announced the Babri demolition verdict, giving a clean chit to all senior BJP leaders, including former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani. Some of the recent decisions by the courts have not gone down well with the people of Kashmir, especially with the political leaders.

Recent assurances to the Ladakh delegation by the Union Home Minister for preserving their identity has forced even J&K Apni Party, which is regarded as the “B” team of BJP in Kashmir, to come out in the open, asking the Centre to pass a law for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to safeguard their land and jobs.

Recent media reports from Jammu have further angered the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir when the BJP came out with the statement saying that its leaders have been distributing domicile certificates in many areas of Jammu region to the needy people. Sharp reactions came from many quarters in Jammu and also from Kashmir when many leaders questioned the administration for delegating their powers to local BJP leaders for the issuance of domicile certificates.

Sunday Guardian