BJP welcomes SC verdict upholding Article 370 abrogation; Congress seeks immediate restoration of statehood

STATE TIMES NEWS

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Monday hailed the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370, saying “we honour and respect the judgement in letter and spirit”.
“We are proud of our country, constitution and our judiciary which is one of the best in the world. We respect and honour the judgement of the supreme court in true letter and spirit,” Raina told PTI.
He said the Central government has time and again made it clear that it is ready to hold assembly elections but the decision has to be taken by the Election Commission, while the Prime Minister and Home Minister are promise-bound on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
J-K BJP’s chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi said it is better not to give a political colour to the supreme court judgment which was in accordance with the wishes of the people of the entire country.
“This is a historic judgment as it put at rest the questions raised on the complete integration of J-K. This fight was not political or community-centric but there are some people in Kashmir whose politics runs on this (Article 370),” Sethi said.
Another BJP leader Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta said only conflict beneficiaries would be unhappy by the supreme court verdict.
“Those claiming that people of J&K are unhappy with the Supreme Court judgment are peddling lies. They can speak for themselves. Who has given them the mandate to speak on behalf of the entire people? Only conflict beneficiaries will be unhappy,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile Congress has said that it shall continue its struggle for safeguarding the rights of people of J&K especially the rights of the land and job, apart from seeking immediate restoration of statehood , without any further delay, in any case before holding of assembly elections
Briefing media persons at party HQ here today, after the Supreme court verdict on Article 370, JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani flanked by other senior leaders said that special status was accorded to J&K by then Congress Govt, thus protecting rights of people mainly the job and land rights of the residents of J&K, which have been taken away by the abrogation of special provision by the present government
He said that People are unhappy over the snatching of their land and job rights by BJP Govt for which Congress shall continue its democratic struggle to seek protections of these rights, if the India block Govt comes in power at the Centre.
He said that it is significant that Hon’ble Supreme Court has vindicated our party’s stand and acknowledged the struggle of the people, by holding that non holding of elections in J&K for such a long time is “unconstitutional and undemocratic” and directed the holding of Assembly elections latest by 3oth Sep.2024. It is a slap on the BJP Govt. for denying the democratic rights to the people of J&K for over five and half years.
With regard to the restoration of statehood, GOI has now assured the Supreme Court, to restore the statehood, as soon as possible, the congress party demands the same be done at the earliest, without any further delay, in any case before the assembly elections.
The Congress party is committed to continue its struggle for the restoration of rights of people especially safeguard, for land and jobs besides seeking immediate restoration of statehood, without further delay. He said that the party shall go in to other details of the judgment. Working President Shri Raman Bhalla, Sr. Vice Presidents Th. Balwan Singh & Ravinder Sharma besides General Secretaries Narinder Gupta, Pawan Raina, Narnder Sharma & Suresh Dogra and Rajveer Singh, Ricky Dalotra were present in press conference.
Ravinder Sharma referred to the stand of the party as per CWC resolution on the issue and said that party had left the issue of constitutionality on the Apex Court.