Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha on Friday that Article 370 , which provides for special status to J&K, is “temporary in nature” and “not permanent” in what was an unambiguous articulation of BJP’s resentment of the constitutional scheme which it has held responsible for the growth of separatism in the sensitive state.

“This is temporary, not permanent. Either you have forgotten this or have chosen to gloss over the fact that Article 370 is a temporary provision of the Constitution. Do remember this and also that Sheikh Abdullah (the late founder of National Conference and the tallest leader of the state) had concurred with the arrangement,” Shah told Hasnain Masoodi, the Lok Sabha member from Anantnag in J&K who represents NC.

This was arguably the first time that a home minister had unambiguously said on the floor of Parliament that Article 370 was not sacrosanct, and is sure to heighten speculation about the steps the Modi government might take to tackle the twin challenges of terrorism and secessionism in the Valley. Political circles have been thick with anticipation of bold measures with regard to a fresh delimitation of constituencies in J&K and the stand that the Centre might take in Supreme Court vis-à-vis Article 35A, which places curbs on ownership of property on non-residents of the state.

Shah was participating in the discussion on bills seeking extension of President’s rule in J&K for another six months beginning on July 3 and for extending reservation to people living along the international border. The Lok Sabha cleared both bills by voice vote.

In a hard-hitting speech, Shah blamed secessionism in J&K and the loss of one-third of the state to Pakistan in 1948 on the policy of the first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. He also criticised the failure of previous governments to ban even self-avowedly hardline and secessionist organisations like Jamaat-i-Islami and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front .

BJP has been campaigning for the repeal of Article 370 as well as Article 35A, which puts J&K on a separate footing than other states. Its pledge to do away with the twin provisions in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections set it apart from Congress and others, the contrast being one of the main themes of the campaign.

Shah stressed that the party will not dial back on the poll pledge after its victory. “The approach of our Prime Minister and the government has not changed, nor will it ever change. It is what it always was, and shall remain so,” he said.

In his speech, the home minister also spoke about his government’s plan to win over the people’s confidence by sticking to the “insaaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat (humanity, democracy and the Kashmiri spirit of tolerance and inclusion) template outlined by the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he was PM. He spoke about the implementation of government schemes, such as construction of houses and provision of Ujjwala, to help people in J&K. Shah said the government had sought to promote democracy by holding panchayat elections, recalling that assembly polls held during Vajpayee’s tenure were free and fair.

As for Kashmiriyat, he said the objective would be better achieved by closer integration with the rest of India, and buttressed his point by citing the attack on Kashmiri Pandits and the disappearance of native Sufi Islam.

But the minister, who is also the BJP chief, minced no words in asserting that the government would not flinch from pursuing its zero tolerance approach towards terrorism.

Responding to criticism on misusing Article 356 (President’s rule), the minister attacked the opposition parties and said the provision was imposed 132 times all over the country, of which the Congress used it 93 times and now “they are teaching us democracy”. He said, “We have never used Article 356 for political gains.”

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In Video: Article 370 is not permanent: Amit Shah