People’s Democratic Party president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti said on March 30 that the relationship between the state and the Union will be over if Article 370 of the Constitution is scrapped by the central government.
Mufti said that the centre would have to ‘renegotiate’ its relationship with Jammu and Kashmir if the special provision of the Constitution was revoked, calling Article 370 a ‘bridge’ between the Union and the state.
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“If you break that bridge (Article 370)… Then you will have to renegotiate the relationship between India and Jammu and Kashmir. There will be new conditions… A Muslim majority state, would it even want to stay with you? If you scrap Article 370, your relation with Jammu and Kashmir will be over,” she said.
@MehboobaMufti : If you break that bridge (Art 370)…then you will have to renegotiate relationship b/w India-Jammu&Kashmir, there will be new conditions…A Muslim majority state, would it even want to stay with you?…If you scrap 370, your relation with J&K will be over pic.twitter.com/UrpveyApIv
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) March 30, 2019
Mufti’s statement came in response to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement advocating repeal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
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Jaitley said Article 35A, which restricts non-permanent residents to buy property in Jammu and Kashmir, is “constitutionally vulnerable” and also hampering economic development of the state.
Mufti also said new conditions would emerge if Article 370 is scrapped.
Article 370 of the Indian Constitution grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Demands have surfaced time and again to revoke Article 370 along with Article 35 (A), which grants special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.