J&K: Article 370 to go, Arun Jaitley says 'separate status led to separatism' & hails the monumental decision

As Home Minister Amit Shah proposed revocation of Article 370 by tabling a bill of re-organistaion of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha, Former Finance Minister and BJP veteran Arun Jaitley called it a 'monumental decision'. He said that this decision of the government will help the people of J&K the Most. He said thatthe decision to revoke the Article 370 and Article 35A will benefit the residents of J&K, it will also stop the regional leaders of Kashmir from  spreading 'fake issue of sentiment vs. benefit to the people'.

Arun Jaitley extended his complement to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for correcting ' historical blunder'. He explained that Aticle 370 came four and seven years after accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India.

He also quoted his blog dated March 28, 2019 on Article 35A:

The seven decade history of the State of Jammu & Kashmir confronts changing India with several questions.  Was the Nehruvian course, which the State had embarked, a historical blunder or was it the correct course to follow?  Most Indians today believe that it is the former.  Does our policy today have to be guided by that erroneous vision or an out of box thinking which is in consonance with ground reality?

The Article 35A misadventure

Article 35A was surreptitiously included by a Presidential Notification in the Constitution in 1954.  It was neither a part of the original Constitution framed by the Constituent Assembly, nor did it come as a Constitutional Amendment under Article 368 of the Constitution which requires an approval by two-third majority of both Houses of Parliament.  It came as a Presidential Notification and is a surreptitious executive insertion in the Constitution.

Read the full blog here: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Dwells Into Article 35A, Banning Of Jamaat-e-Islami(J&K)

READ: Former CMs Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti In Preventive Custody, Sec 144 Imposed In Parts Of Srinagar. LIVE Updates Here

In what is being dubbed as the most important decision by the Narendra Modi led Central government, Home Minister Amit Shah proposed revocation of Article 370 in the upper house of the Parliament amid massive ruckus by the Opposition, however, he said that he will respond on all matters related to Kashmir.

READ: Article 370 to go in J&K: Mehbooba Mufti calls it a failure to keep promise in Kashmir, warns of 'catastrophe'

Developments on Kashmir so far

• All party- meet called by Farooq  Abdullah,Mehbooba Mufti : On Sunday, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, NC chief Farooq  Abdullah called for a all party meeting and urged India and Pakistan to not escalate tension for the sake of Kashmir.
• The meeting was held at NC chief Farooq Abdullah's residence and was attended by NC leader Omar Abdullah, political rivals PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, J&K People's Conference president Sajad Lone and others to discuss the situation in the state. Following the meeting, Abdullah said, "It was unanimously resolved that all the parties would be united in their resolve to protect and defend identity, anonymity and the special status of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh against all attack and onslaught whatsoever." Read full press brief statement here
• Home Minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval high-level meet: Earlier on Sunday, Home Minister Amit Shah held high-level meet with Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and with other top security officials.
• As per reports, the Home Minister is also likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir for a couple of days after the conclusion of the Parliament session on August 7. Amit Shah's visit may come before the Independence Day on August 15, amid the prevailing security tensions in the Valley in the aftermath of the curtailment of the Amarnath Yatra by the state government. 
• Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Mallik called for an emergency meeting of DG, Chief secretary and IG late night on Sunday. 
• Shutdown on Schools, universities were announced. 
• Plans of Attack on Amarnath Yatris by Pakistan: In a joint press brief by Chinar Corps Commander Lt General KJS Dhillon and J&K DGP Dilbag Singh in Srinagar they revealed that they had intelligence inputs that there were attempts of attacks on Amarnath Yatra by Pakistan and that they had recovered IEDs and US made Sniper rifle in the route of the Amarnath Yatra. 
• Government issues advisory for Amarnnath Yatris: JK administration issues advisory to tourists and yatris and asks them to cut short their visit in view of 'safety and security of the yatris' and leave state of Jammu & Kashmir in view of terror threats after army's press conference. Here is the advisory
• Centre deployed 38,000 troops in the paramilitary troops in the Kashmir valley. Sources said that it was placed in order to strengthen counter-insurgency operations and law and order in the state.