Art 370 abrogation an assault on foundations of India: Tarigami

Srinagar, Aug 22 (PTI) CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami Tuesday said the abrogation of Article 370 was not only an “assault” on the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir, but also on the foundations of India and if the Supreme Court does not stop the Centre’s “unconstitutional move”, it will have profound implications.

“I am satisfied that the arguments by all the lawyers of the petitioners have weightage and with our stand that what happened on August 5, 2019 is unconstitutional and a mockery of the Constitution,” Tarigami said at a press conference.

He said there is no doubt that “whatever happened with Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is an unprecedented assault”.

“This assault is not limited to J-K only. It is not only an assault on the rights of the people of J-K, it is an assault on the foundations of the republic of India itself… If this unconstitutional act is not stopped by the Supreme Court, I have apprehensions it will have profound implications,” he said.

J-K is a unique situation which negotiated the terms of accession (to the Union of India) and no other state did it, the CPI(M) leader said.

“Those who keep on saying Article 370 was temporary forget that it is written there that it can only be abrogated when the President of India gets an approval from the constituent assembly of J-K and not the assembly or the governor,” he added.

Tarigami said the petitioners are hopeful that the SC will give them justice. “We do not need any favour…we only want the safeguards, the rights that the Constitution of India gave to the people of J-K, that is our appeal to the SC,” he said.