J&K: Maharaja Hari Singh's son Karan Singh goes against his party- Congress over Article 370's scrapping, Ladakh UT

Even as the party continues to question Centre's move to scrap Article 370, Congress veteran Karan Singh has said that there are several positive points and that abrogation of Article 35 A will address the gender discrimination in the state. 

Issuing a statement, Karan, who is a son of Maharaja Hari Singh who signed the Instrument of Accession and agreed to join India, said: "Do not agree with blanket condemnation of govt's JK moves, I welcome UT status for Ladakh and abrogation of Art 35A, says gender-discrimination needed to be addressed. He also welcomed the formation of Ladakh as Union Territory. In fact I had suggested this as far back as 1965 when I was still Sadr-i-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir when I had publically proposed reorganisation of the State," his statement stated. He said that delimitation will ensure fair division of political power between Jammu and Kashmir regions. 

READ: Gautam Gambhir hits out at Congress's 'sellout' insult, says 'development step for Kashmiris shouldn't be politicised'

Mentioning that 'political dialogue' is necessary, he also added that the leaders of Kashmir valley should be released. "It is unfair to dismiss the two main regional parties as being anti-national. I would therefore urge that leaders of legitimate political parties in Kashmir should be released as soon as possible and a broad based political dialogue initiated with them." 

Here is the full statement:

Karan Singh has been a member of India's Upper House of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha representing the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It was his father Maharaja Hari Singh who signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, following Pakistani Pashtun soldiers attack on the valley. IoA ensured the joining of princely state of J&K with Indian Union, it being effective from 27 October,1947.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and his party has been giving a various response to the scrapping of Article 370. Rahul Gandhi said that it is claimed that tearing of the state is unconstitutional. 

READ: Article 370 scrapped: Congress insults Kashimiris, says 'anyone can be bought with money' over NSA Ajit Doval meeting locals amid normalcy

India scraps Article 370

The Narendra Modi government on August 5 revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Both the upper house and the lower house of the Parliament approved the resolution abrogating Article 370 for J&K and a bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the controversial provisions were responsible for poverty and lack of development in the state. Ministry of External Affairs also briefed the envoys of the P5 nations -- the US, the UK, China, France and Russia -- about Indian government's decision to scrap Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two union territories.

READ: India hits back at Pakistan, says "invoking alarmist vision of the region will never succeed", over J&K integration