Don’t Touch Article 35A

 

THE people of Kashmir valley and all shades of political opinion there are highly perturbed by reports of the efforts to do away with Article 35A of the constitution.

 

This has come in the context of the petitions being heard in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional provision and the fact that the central government has not made its position clear on the matter.

 

Article 35A confers the power to the Jammu & Kashmir state legislature to define who are permanent residents and their rights. Any attempt to tamper with this provision will fundamentally damage the special status accorded to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution.

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its strong opposition to the move to interfere with Article 35A. It calls upon the central government to make a public commitment that the article will be retained intact in the constitution.