State BJP Spokesperson, Prof. Virender Gupta strongly criticized the statement of former Home Minister, P. Chidambaram given in an interview with Karan Thapar on India Today on Wednesday, advocating restoring the “Grand Bargain” under which Kashmir acceded to India by granting a large degree of autonomy, warning that otherwise the Country will have to pay “heavy Price”. He said the P. Chidambaram formula is dangerous for the integrity of the country and has serious repercussions. He further said that it looks that P. Chindambaram has of a little knowledge about Jammu and Kashmir State and the circumstance under which Jammu and Kashmir acceded to Indian Union. He added that it was Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir who signed the Instrument of Accession, of course, that was endorsed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who was a popular leader only of Kashmir Valley but had no following in Jammu and Ladakh regions and said that no condition was attached at the time of accession by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. He further said that Mr. Chidambaram, though, remained Home Minister of India is ignorant of the geography, demography, psyche and aspirations of the people of all the regions of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Prof. Virender said that Kashmir is not Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir constitutes merely about 15 percent area of Jammu and Kashmir State, that is presently with India whereas it has population less than 50 percent of the State Population. He further said that, People of Jammu and Ladakh regions are against granting any autonomy to the State, instead they plead for removal of article 370 and consider it as hindrance in the progress and development of the state and bringing the people of Kashmir into National mainstream and added that the article contributed in the alienation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir State. He said that even in the Valley there is a good population of Gujjar Bakkarwals, Shia Muslims who constitute 45% of Kashmir population and a good proportion among Sunni Muslims who support the Indian cause and do not support either Azadi or Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan.
Prof. Virender added that Sheikh deceived Pt. Nehru who was instrument in the introduction of article 370 in Indian constitution and made 1952 agreement with Sheikh. He said that Sheikh Abdullaha later on started hob nobbing with western powers to make Jammu and Kashmir as an independent State, out of the Indian territory as a result Pt. Nehru was compelled to put Sheikh behind the bars. The Spokesperson said that granting the so called the grant autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir amounts to ignoring the aspirations of the people of Ladakh and Jammu regions and a large nationalist population of Kashmir Valley and added that even the separatists who are inspired by the fundamentalism and propagating Jehad will not be satisfied. Prof. Virender further added that granting grand autonomy shall lead to separation of Jammu and Kashmir (in particular Kashmir) from India. He said that at this juncture efforts should be made to bring peace and normalcy in the valley, dealing the separatists and terrorists with iron hand, however, the ultimate solutions lies in the abrogation of article 370, taking steps to bring the people of Kashmir Valley in the national mainstream.
