STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Shiv Sena Hindustan (SSH) strongly advocated the removal of Article 35A from the Constitution of India. The common people of Jammu, Kashmir, the poor, no one is benefitting from Article 370 or Article 35A – whether they are Hindus or Muslims. It is only vested interests, the elite, who have been benefitted by these provisions. So called ‘experts’ are misleading the people by advocating Article 370, National General Secretary, Krishan Sharma said while addressing media persons in Jammu on Monday in presence of State President, Rajesh Kesri, Senior Vice President Vinay Jalandharia, Satish Mahajan from Punjab, Abdul Khalid Bhat from Kashmir. Sharma requested the media to study this serious issue so that it can be discussed in an informal manner before the public. This issue must be taken up as a campaign by the media, so that public opinion is built to bring justice to the people of J and K. Blaming Article 370 of the Constitution for creation of a “separatist emotion”, he said the time has come for the people of the State to say goodbye to it as well as Article 35A.Both these Articles, instead of being beneficial to the people of the State, have done a great damage and hamper the progress and development, claimed Sharma adding time has come when the people of J and K should say goodbye to Article 370 and ask the Central government to revoke Article 35A. He said, “The prevailing situation in the Valley shows that Article 370 has created a separatist psyche and acts as a breeding ground for separatist emotion.” Sharma slammed Coalition Government for being lax in allowing the settlement of over 6,000 Rohingya Muslims in Hindu dominated Jammu region even as they have got the work permits from the Government of India to carry out different jobs in the State. He asked the State Government to take measures to “stop” the illegal settlement of Bangladeshi Muslims. He said that the Rohingya Muslims started coming to Jammu region over six years back and “over a period of time their number has increased”.
“They are mostly doing odd-jobs and are rag-pickers and even do begging to eke out a living,” he said. He demanded that the State Government should spell out a policy on “whether Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims can stay in the state.” “The government should spell out a policy on Rohingya Muslims. It is a very serious matter and the government should find out how they have come to the State. They are living without permission and could be a threat to the security of the State. We will ask the government to be serious about the issue and clear its policy.” he said. He further said that those Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims who are living illegally here should be dealt sternly.
State President Kesri said it is the responsibility of political leadership of Jammu to take up this issue with the government. It is irrespective of party affiliations and this is an issue that concerns the people of the State and of Jammu region, whom we do not divide on the basis of party politics. Instead of trying to bring the onus to the doorsteps of the government, he held Jammu political leadership responsible for allowing the government to adopt discriminative policy towards Jammu region. He stated that discrimination with Jammu region has increased further under the regime of BJP-PDP Coalition Government. Office bearers across the State which included Raj Kumar General Secretary Shiv Kumar Chairman, Praveen Gupta Vice President, Natwar Lal Raina State quainter, Binny Mahajan, City President, Sukhbir Mankotia Parbhari Jammu and Rajeshwer Singh Press Secretary.
