This Article is From Apr 28, 2019

On Jammu And Kashmir's Special Status, Ram Madhav Tweaks Tone

Final decisions on Articles 370 and 35A will be taken by parliament, Ram Madhav said. The second phase of voting in Kashmir's Anantnag seat, where election is being held in three phases, will be held tomorrow.

Ram Madhav said BJP stand on Articles 370, 35A remains the same.

Srinagar:

The BJP appears to have tweaked its tone on Article 370 and Article 35A, which gives Jammu and Kashmir its special status. Ram Madhav, the party's general secretary in charge of the state has said while the party's stand is clear, the decision will be made in parliament on the matter.

After addressing an election meeting in Anantnag, South Kashmir, Mr Madhav said they would follow the path of Atal Behari Vajpayee on Kashmir and left the final decision on contentious issue of Article 370 to  the collective wisdom of parliament.

"The BJPs stand on this issue is clear but any final decision will be taken by the parliament. We should wait for whatever collective decision parliament will take on it,'' said Mr Ram Madhav.

The second phase of voting in Kashmir's Anantnag seat, where election is being held in three phases, will be held tomorrow.

The scrapping of Article 370 and 35A of the constitution is a part of the BJP's core ideology, carried over since the days of Jan Sangh. In its manifesto released earlier this month, the BJP reiterated its stand.

Tension over the preservation of the Articles flared up since last year after Article 35A was challenged in the Supreme Court and for Jammu and Kashmir, it is one of the key themes of the ongoing election.

The battle has united Kashmir's residents, political parties and separatists. Last year, all mainstream parties in the Kashmir Valley boycotted the panchayat elections to register their protest.

The National Conference of Omar Abdullah has dared the BJP to touch either Article, contending they are the basis of the state's accession of India and any change will unravel the union.

Article 35A defines who are the permanent residents of the state and excludes outsiders from owning property in the state and getting benefits, including government jobs.

Article 370 is an extension of Article 35A, which allows Jammu and Kashmir to have its own constitution, flag and the right to handle its own laws, except on matters of national security.

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