Reacting sharply to the statement of Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister, and leader of National Conference the state Bhartiya Janta Party said that utterances of Omar both on Article 35A and GST are misleading and made with intent to cause confusion and mislead public particularly of Jammu .
BJP State Chief Spokesperson Sunil Sethi, while addressing a press conference alongwith State General Secretary Pawan Khajuria and Trade & Industry Cell State Convenor Kulbushan Mohtra, said that National Conference leader has spoken untruth by saying that Art 35 A is good for the state and that it’s removal will create loss to people of Jammu and Leh because of increase of competition from outside state. He said because of Art 35A and state subject laws protected by it, the state couldn’t match rest of country in progress because of Lack of investments. Absence of huge Industrial infrastructure, Hospitality industries, Healthcare and Educational infrastructure is all because nobody from outside state is willing to invest when they can’t own property.
Sunil Sethi further said that in case investments come to state from outside it will grow local support industry and will generate huge employment for youth of state. He said Omar was again wrong and misleading by referring to state subject laws made by Former Maharaja and finding justification to continue them. Sunil Sethi said when state subject laws were made then state was not part of British India and in those times it was restrictions by one sovereign state on subjects of other sovereign state which was possible but after J&K became part of India there is only one Sovereign that is India and within One Sovereign there can’t be iron curtains.
Sunil Sethi also noted that reference to Himachal and Mizoram to indicate laws in state restricting ownership of land is also misleading as in Himachal lands other than Agricultural can be owned by outsiders with permission of state and in Mizoram and Himachal both rights of girls marrying outside and their children are not taken away. He said that in 1947 J&K joining India was akin to river merging in Sea. After river enters Sea and join it the only identity which remains is of Sea and river cant retain its separate identity thereafter. He said Omar is making misleading statements deliberately to create confusion and his such statements are only helping Separatist ideology. He should better work for making India strong with J&K an integral part which is inseparable in any form .
Even on GST statement of Omar Abdullah is false and misleading. He wrongly said that people of Jammu didn’t want GST whereas matter of fact is that public of Jammu and Leh and majority in Kashmir was and still are in favour of GST for general good of state. National conference having failed to incite people on the issue is trying to find excuse to justify itself. Sunil Sethi warned Omar Abdullah from playing with fire and creating trouble for peace loving citizens of India living in J&K on being misled by his advisors.
