Shiv Sena (UBT), SSP demands imposition of special provisions of Article 371 in J&K

Jammu, Apr 13 (PTI) The Shiv Sena unit of Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and Sainik Samaj Party (SSP) on Thursday batted for the imposition of Article 371 and the constitution of the minority commission to safeguard the special rights and cultural identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

They also demanded the restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Under Article 371 of the Constitution, we demand the imposition of special provisions of the article to protect the right to land, employment, education and cultural identity”, Shiv Sena (UBT) J&K president, Manish Sahni told reporters here.

Article 371 is a provision with respect to the states of Maharashtra (Vidarbha and Marathwada) and Gujarat (Saurashtra and Kutch) that grants some temporary, transition and special provisions to some states in the country.

Sahni said, “Both the parties have decided to jointly fight forthcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir.”

He said minorities like Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir have remained deprived of the benefits of all the centrally sponsored schemes, therefore a minority commission must be constituted for the welfare of the community.

Sainik Samaj Party president, Col S S Pathania demanded the removal of anomalies in the reservation of jobs for soldiers, ex-servicemen and family pensioners and one-time grants to gallantry award winners on the lines of neighbouring states like Punjab.

“We will jointly go to the public and make a list of public aspirations to raise our voices in the interest of people,” Sahni added.

Both the parties will emerge as a better political alternative with support and cooperation, they said.