Taking a serious note of the statement of the Provincial President of National Conference in an interview to a local channel where he tried to create a scary picture of the ill-effects on the people of Jammu region if Article 35A is held illegal by the Supreme Court, Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of BJP has accused him of creating a fear psychosis. His statement that Jammu will be affected far more than Kashmir since no outsider will like to settle there but will flock in hordes to settle in Jammu clearly indicates the mindset of his party that has always advocated politics of exclusion. It is a direct attack on the composite culture and communal tolerance of the people of Jammu. Brig Gupta said that NC was responsible for promoting ‘majoritarianism’ in the State at the cost of the minorities leading to a demographic invasion of the Jammu region taking shelter under the discriminatory provision of Art 35A. Jammu has been a victim of large scale migration from North of Pir Panjal duly abetted by the then governments led by the NC. These people have not brought any economic benefits to the region but instead resorted to large scale land grabbing.
Brig Gupta also ridiculed the NC leader for equating the West Pakistan Refugees with the Rohangiya refugees. The comparison is not only absurd but defies all logic. The WPR have been staying in the state since 1947 and have been victim of communal politics of the NC. The NC leader also raised fears that people from Haryana, Punjab and other states will get enrolled in the JK Police leaving behind the local youth. Will the NC leader explain as to how many youth from J&K have joined the state police forces in other states? By making such statements the NC leader is only trying to scare the local youth. On the contrary, the NC leader should explain to the people why there is lack of qualified doctors, professors and professionals in the state? It is due to the fact that none of them are willing to come from other states and serve here because of Art 35A, said Brig Gupta.
The BJP spokesperson further said that if NC and its leadership is so sure of the legal correctness of Art 35A, then why are they resorting to agitational politics now and provoking the Kashmiris to create unrest when the issue is scheduled to be discussed by the Supreme Court in September. Rather than rabble rousing they should present their case before the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court. The truth is that they are unhappy with the ongoing successful ‘Operation All Out’ and the NIA investigations nailing the Hurriyat leaders and want to hamper/stall them in order to rescue the Hurriyat, stated Brig Gupta.
