STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Public Opinion Forum (POF), a non-governmental organisation, on Saturday organised a seminar on the topic, ‘Understanding Article 370’ by inviting learned speakers from different fields of life, including retired bureaucrats, businessmen, professors and politicians.
Speakers divulged in details the technical aspects of the Article 370 in relation with all the three regions of the State while the academicians and bureaucrats touched the legal implications of the Article, other speakers unfolded the negative aspects of the most sought after thing in Jammu and Kashmir.
To begin with the debate on the subject, former Member State Information Commission and former HoD Department of Law, University of Jammu, Prof S.K Sharma said that the State of J and K enjoys special status with regard to consultations before incorporating anything in the existing constitutional framework with the remarks that Centre enjoys ample powers to abrogate the Article 370.
Former President of the Bari Brahmana Industries Association, Anil Suri was of the view that if Lakhanpur tax (under special status with Article 370) remains there the important GST cannot be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, so the new regime will come with extra burden on the business. However, he said that State must adopt the GST with certain modifications.
Another speaker, former Dean Social Sciences, JU, Prof Hari Om said that the rulers in State want to change the nomenclature of Jammu and Kashmir with State of Kashmir misusing the provisions of Article 370. He straightway said that it (370) should be abrogated for the overall development and integration of the State.
Former Secretary /Commissioner and Member Public Service Commission, J and K, K.B Jandyal said, “The State of J and K was accessed and not merged is the misconception in Kashmir. But one thing is certain that we are not out of the Union of India. Infact, J and K, like many other princely states, signed the same Instrument of Accession with similar conditions and constitutional provisions and the draft was approved by former Chief Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.” He further said that it was clearly written in the Constitution of J and K that the ‘State is an integral part of India’.
Prof Varinder Gupta, former HoD Physics, University of Jammu expressing his view on Article 370 said that accession and merger are the same thing, so the issue was non debatable.
“However, the so called special status has led to dual citizenship in the country. Our daughters have been deprived of their right to property once they are married outside the State but at the same time women from foreign soils have been made State Subjects by Kashmir based politicians and separatist elements,” Prof Gupta rued.
He was of the opinion that the Article 370 has made J and K a backward state both economically and politically, so a comprehensive debate was required on the ‘so called’ special status. “People have to come forward and think over the special constitutional provision through the medium of debates and discussions,” added Prof Gupta.
Earlier, President of the Forum, Praveen Sharma formerly welcomed the distinguished speakers, members of the POF and other prominent citizens. Vote of thanks was presented by Vice President, V.D Dogra while General Secretary, Dr Gopal Parthasarthy conducted the proceedings.
