People familiar with the situation said that sections of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), are concerned about the talks on Jammu & Kashmir being held under the guise of shadow regional parties sticking to their demand for the restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with the parties on Thursday in Delhi, including the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This is the first meeting of its kind since Jammu and Kashmir lost its statehood and semi-autonomous status.
The timing of the meeting has raised eyebrows in the party and the Sangh, according to a source familiar with the situation. According to the source, the government appears to have backed down from its position of refusing to engage with parties seeking the restoration of Article 370 after opting for a tough Kashmir policy. Article 35 (A) defined domicile rules and granted a special status to the former state.
On August 5, 2019, the former state was split into two union territories: Jammu & Kashmir, which has a legislature, and Ladakh, which does not. After the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill was passed by Parliament, Articles 370 and 35 (A) were read down.
“Abrogation of Article 370 was a long-standing demand of the Sangh and the BJP. There is a section of people who feel that by inviting PDP and other parties that have a hardline view about issues such as reimposition of Article 370 and engagement with Pakistan, the government is following the policies of the (previous) Congress government,” said a party functionary.
The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 (A) as well as the bifurcation of the state into two union territories top the list of the Modi government’s accomplishments.
The regional parties have criticised the decision and have stated unequivocally that the status quo ante must be restored.
“Article 370, which gave the state its special status, was unconstitutionally removed,” PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said in an interview with HT. It served as an emotional link between us and the rest of India. We will not accept anything less. Article 370 should be reinstated, according to us. We’re fighting within the confines of the Indian Constitution, which includes Article 370. ” She added that restoration of statehood will not be enough. “We will not settle for anything other than the restoration of Article 370.”
According to a second functionary, the decision to invite the PDP, which was a BJP ally before the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir fell on June 18, 2018, and its stated position of nudging India to hold talks with Pakistan and reimposition of Article 370 has caused particular concern.
