J&K's Article 370 scrapped: Rahul Gandhi breaks silence, openly takes Pakistan's line

A day after the Modi government moved to scrap Article 370, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday tabled the J&K Reorganisation Bil in the Lok Sabha. Even as the house debated the bill, Rahul Gandhi who was present during the discussion finally broke his silence in the matter by tweeing about it. The former Congress chief said that 'it is abuse of executive power' and that it will have implications on 'national security.' The stand taken by Rahul Gandhi, as well as Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who led the party's arguments in the house, was similar to the one adopted by Pakistan which claimed that India has taken the decision 'unilaterally'. Additionally, Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha also said that 'UN monitors Kashmir' and asked for clarification on whether or not Kashmir is really an internal matter. Pakistan in its statement similarly talked about United Nations' resolutions. Here is what Rahul Gandhi tweeted:

Pakistan on Monday issued a statement that Jammu and Kashmir is an "internationally recognised disputed territory." "As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps. Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause." Here is the statement:

READ: J&K's Article 370 scrapped, Congress asks if Kashmir is an 'internal matter'; Amit Shah fires back

Rajya Sabha passed Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019

The government had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.The Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature, was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favor and 61 against, and an NCP member abstained.

What is Article 370?

It exempts Jammu and Kashmir from following the Indian Constitution except for Article 1 and itself. It also restricts Parliament's legislative powers in Jammu and Kashmir. It was passed in the Constituent Assembly on May 27, 1949 and is the first article of Part XXI of the Indian Constitution. The heading of this part is ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’.