PDP claims "huge setback" by J-K govt for not demanding the restoration of Article 370

Representational Image

People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir government's first reported resolution calling for the restoration of statehood rather than Article 370 was a "huge setback" and was nothing less than the endorsement of the Center's 2019 decisions, PTI reported.

Another party, the People's Conference, has also questioned the secrecy of the resolution.

The reactions come following a report in Jammu-based newspaper 'Daily Excelsior' which said that the cabinet had passed a resolution requesting the Centre to restore J-K's statehood. The report also said that the Chief Minister is expected to travel to Delhi in order to hand over the draft of the resolution to PM Modi, PTI reported.

However, PTI hasn't got an official confirmation or denial regarding the report so far.

"Omar Abdullah's first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5, 2019 decision. No resolution on Article 370 and scaling down the demand to mere statehood is a huge setback, especially after seeking votes on the promise of restoring Article 370," PDP youth president and MLA-elect Pulwama, Waheed Parra, said in a post on X.

People's Conference chief Sajad Lone questioned why the cabinet's resolution on statehood was "shrouded in mystery and secrecy that only one newspaper publishes it".

"I hope the CS (chief secretary) of Jammu and Kashmir has notified as it is the protocol," Lone said on X.

Handwara MLA-elect, Lone said that the resolution should have been passed in the assembly instead of the cabinet.

"I very humbly state that the will of the people of J&K is reflected in the Assembly and not in the cabinet. The cabinet is a majoritarian institution of governance. It does not reflect all shades and opinions as per the will of the people of J&K," he added.

Across all parts of the country, the Assembly is a proper institution for addressing major issues like that of statehood or Article 370, he said.

"When the NC Government passed a resolution on autonomy, they passed it in the Assembly, not through a cabinet resolution. What has changed now? Fail to understand why this resolution should not have been reserved for Assembly. Why are we so keen to trivialise everything," he questioned.

The separatist-turned-mainstream politician said he would love to see which way the BJP and other parties vote when it comes to statehood and on Article 370 resolution when presented in Assembly, PTI reported.

According to the party's election manifesto, he reminded the National Conference (NC) of its pledge to work toward restoring Articles 370 and 35A and statehood as they existed before August 5, 2019, and to pass a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly's first post-election list opposing the Center's decision to deprive the region of its statehood and special status.

"We are not demanding or expecting anything extraordinary. Do what you promised the people of J&K in your manifesto," Lone said.

(With inputs from PTI)