Abrogate Article 370, says Sangh affiliate

BHUBANESWAR: National convener of Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre Arun Kumar on Monday demanded abrogation of Article 370 which accords a special status to the state. The Study Centre is a body affiliated to Sangh Parivar.  “Article 370, a much-discussed issue in academic and intellectual circles, was purported to be in effect for a temporary period and the Constitution is clear about it. A massive fraud has been committed under the cover of this article and there is a need to abrogate this provision by a simple presidential order,’’ Kumar told a media conference here.  He said contrary to popular perception, the anti-India protest is confined to Kashmir Valley only. A false perception has been created that the whole of J & K is seeking separation, he said. He further said separatists’ voice in the state is all confined to Kashmir Valley and they represent only the Kashmiri-speaking Sunni Muslims, a small section of the population in the Valley. The Shia and Gujjar Muslims, who account for 12 and 18 per cent, have never voiced anti-India views.  “It is an Irony that whenever any public discussion takes place in any of the platforms, the separatist leaders, representing a minority view, project themselves as the sole representatives of the people’s voice in Kashmir,’’ Kumar said.  He sought a deeper study of the issue through the documents, which are all in public domain,  for objective  interpretation.